1
as in teaches
to cause to acquire knowledge or skill in some field
spent his military career instructing young pilots
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in informs
to give information to
instructed everyone in the use of the new telephone system
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tells
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority
the proctors instructed everyone to put their pencils down and hand in their tests
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of instructs
Emmett holds the two men at gunpoint and instructs them to transport him to a specific location to evade capture.
—
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
Choreographer Madeline Hollander closes her red notebook and instructs the dancers to start from the beginning.
—Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
This portion instructs Claude to be attentive to the well-being of users.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
When the external environment reaches above 25 degrees Celsius, or 77 degrees Fahrenheit, the brain’s hypothalamus instructs the glands to release sweat.
—Sophia Dyer, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 May 2026
The legislation, which won't take effect until after the November 2026 election, instructs the secretary of the Senate to place senators' paychecks on hold during the duration of any future federal government shutdowns.
—Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 14 May 2026
The memo instructs creators who sign on to make new social media accounts under usernames that reflect their names or a nickname, avoiding brands, random numbers or anything that looks like spam.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026
The movie opens with Lucila (Anna Díaz, the sole reason to keep watching) being woken by her mother Isabel (Adriana Paz, from Emilia Perez), who instructs her to take care of her little brother before disappearing to Spain.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
The bill instructs the Office of Cannabis Management to seek those funds.
—Caroline Cummings, CBS News, 8 May 2026
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
Choreographer Madeline Hollander closes her red notebook and instructs the dancers to start from the beginning.
—Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
This portion instructs Claude to be attentive to the well-being of users.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
When the external environment reaches above 25 degrees Celsius, or 77 degrees Fahrenheit, the brain’s hypothalamus instructs the glands to release sweat.
—Sophia Dyer, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 May 2026
The legislation, which won't take effect until after the November 2026 election, instructs the secretary of the Senate to place senators' paychecks on hold during the duration of any future federal government shutdowns.
—Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 14 May 2026
The memo instructs creators who sign on to make new social media accounts under usernames that reflect their names or a nickname, avoiding brands, random numbers or anything that looks like spam.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026
The movie opens with Lucila (Anna Díaz, the sole reason to keep watching) being woken by her mother Isabel (Adriana Paz, from Emilia Perez), who instructs her to take care of her little brother before disappearing to Spain.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
The bill instructs the Office of Cannabis Management to seek those funds.
—Caroline Cummings, CBS News, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instructs
Verb
-
Alchemist Kitchen spins food business gold Several of the businesses identified are graduates of the Alchemist Microenterprise Academy (AMA), a 12-week business training course that teaches the basics of starting a food business.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
-
Advertisement At its core, DBT teaches skills that many people with BPD never had the chance to learn.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
That tension partly informs the work Imah is doing now through SPREEAI, a company focused on virtual try-on systems, fit intelligence and personalized shopping experiences.—
Partner Content,
Variety,
10 June 2026
-
Each facet informs the other, and no one believes and embodies that more than my mother, Livia.—
Lucia Aronica,
CNBC,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Sam McDowell tells us how one dinner 20 years ago with Illig, Neal Patterson and Lamar Hunt changed the future of soccer in Kansas City.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
-
Make Way for Ducklings, the iconic children’s book by Robert McCloskey, tells the story of a family of ducks that make a home in the garden’s lagoon.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Business for the Arts Broward educates the business community about the importance of our arts and cultural community and engages them in building connections among cultural vitality, creative success and economic development.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2026
-
The brainchild of Marie Emerson, who farms with her husband, Dell, at Wescogus Wild Blueberry, the center educates visitors about the fruit’s history.—
Staff Author,
Travel + Leisure,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
To minimize risks during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advises incorporating frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
-
Regardless of the type, warm or hot water is best, although Shields advises using hot water for dish towels to really tackle the grease, germs, and food stains.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Sometimes, the company finds out about celebrities wearing its shirts when a film company orders them, Weil writes.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
8 June 2026
-
So the Devil orders the father to cut off his daughter’s offending hands.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The problem with selling optionality is that eventually the market asks which option is becoming revenue.—
Robert J. Szczerba,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
His loan shark then asks him to execute the titular killing of a Chinese bookie in exchange for wiping away his new debt, but things become complicated when Cosmo learns the true identity of the bookie, leading to a chaotic series of events.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
In addition to the Hot Country Songs ranking, the single also commands the Digital Song Sales, Country Streaming Songs and Country Digital Song Sales lists.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
Competing on mission, not salary In a labor market where specialized talent commands premium salaries, the Corps can’t always match private-sector compensation.—
Alena Conley,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instructs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instructs. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
