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
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Recent Examples of instructs
The cancer instructs the body to build super roadways (blood vessels) and homes (tumor cells) resistant to decay.
—
Charles J. Dimitroff, The Conversation, 12 June 2026
When Gustavo Dudamel instructs the Los Angeles Philharmonic to stand at a curtain call, the players stand.
—Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
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
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
Charles J. Dimitroff, The Conversation, 12 June 2026
When Gustavo Dudamel instructs the Los Angeles Philharmonic to stand at a curtain call, the players stand.
—Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instructs
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Jesse Greenspan,
Scientific American,
10 Dec. 2025
-
The residency marks a natural progression in Walker’s evolution toward wearable art that educates, activates, and reorients how communities engage with the past.—
Skylar Mitchell,
Essence,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Weis advises business leaders to establish workplace cultures which reward different types of thinking, and which allow for different ways of working, before rolling out new technologies.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
16 June 2026
-
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,
16 June 2026
Verb
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But before the referee orders the start of play, there will be a special opening ceremony headlined by artists such as Michael Bublé and Alanis Morissette.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
-
Janski orders a mix of new and old through catalogs.—
John Lauritsen,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Verb
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In her confessional, Larsa asks who can show up two hours late and pretend like nothing happens.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
22 Aug. 2025
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Willinger said there’s a relatively strong chance the Supreme Court will get involved, which the justices tend to do when a lower court strikes down or restricts the application of a federal criminal law – especially if the government asks them to intervene.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The endorsement is expected to provide a significant boost to Jones's campaign, which already commands strong support among the GOP base.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Team,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
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The company handles roughly 82 percent of all US space launches and commands nearly half of the global commercial space market.—
Andrew J. Hawkins,
The Verge,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instructs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instructs. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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