How to Use instead in a Sentence

instead

adverb
  • I was offered a ride, but I chose to walk instead.
  • If that's the case for you, try out the exercise in a sumo stance instead.
    Tony Gentilcore, Men's Health, 30 Nov. 2022
  • But as the set rolled on, the focus turned instead to the group’s enduring strengths.
    Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2024
  • Cats got that release date instead, and that went great.
    Vulture, 20 June 2023
  • With the weather setback, Sims worked with the dancers and cast on a soundstage instead.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 22 June 2023
  • The main difference is the G3 comes without a stand, instead meant to be mounted on the wall.
    Condé Nast, WIRED, 24 Nov. 2023
  • Seilheimer cooked up a chowder that swapped out clams for the snails instead.
    Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2023
  • Smith instead worked a five-pitch walk and came around to score on a Marcus Semien single.
    Shawn McFarland, Dallas News, 13 May 2023
  • Step up your fashion game with this stylish high-neck tank top instead.
    Kirsten Chanel Webber, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2024
  • Shortly after, he was sent the script for Home Alone instead.
    Taylor Murphy, Good Housekeeping, 18 Nov. 2022
  • The authors of the new study suggest that purring instead results from the laryngeal pads of cats.
    Jorge Garay, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2023
  • Stop using copy-and-paste templates and stores—instead, be unique.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
  • If hiking isn't your thing, consider instead a boat trip out to the islands of the Oslofjord.
    David Nikel, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
  • But could Tehran instead be prepared to pull back in exchange for progress on Gaza peace talks?
    Nic Robertson, CNN, 8 Aug. 2024
  • The lore of how painful a Brazilian wax can be has most opting for their trusty razor instead.
    Audrey Noble, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2023
  • In the late 1970s, Americans didn’t drink wine, opting instead for liquor and beer.
    Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2023
  • Now, instead, the bear goes on a rampage and brutally mauls a bunch of people.
    James Grebey, Vulture, 24 Feb. 2023
  • The full moon in April instead gets its name from one of the earliest widespread flowers of spring.
    Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024
  • The student didn't touch the gun and instead went to notify a teacher of the weapon, according to the news station.
    Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 18 Feb. 2023
  • The men debated whether to hang him again but banished him from the region instead.
    David Reamer | Alaska History, Anchorage Daily News, 18 June 2023
  • Some customers even got creative with it and filled the pumpkin with string lights instead.
    Megan Schaltegger, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2024
  • Bell went with Lucas Sims instead, and Sims couldn’t have pitched much better.
    Bobby Nightengale, The Enquirer, 3 May 2023
  • The Times noted that the show was not destined for New York, but would instead travel to 25 other cities.
    Emmett Lindner, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2022
  • The stretchy material clings to you instead, mimicking the feel of a soft hug.
    Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 4 Feb. 2023
  • This time around, Taylor skipped the veil and tiara and instead opted to wear flowers in her hair that matched the small bouquet in her hands.
    Jessica Booth, Peoplemag, 8 June 2024
  • Fine doesn’t call her a student, but instead a colleague.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023
  • When wet, the fabric remains unchanged and the suit instead feels almost like a wetsuit with a very soft feel.
    Courtney Leiva, Peoplemag, 10 June 2023
  • But more often than not, guests will use the bath towels hanging on the towel bar instead.
    Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 18 Dec. 2023
  • Say that instead one of those vehicles is a 9,500 pound Hummer.
    Gregory Barber, WIRED, 15 Feb. 2023
  • They will not be permitted to board and will instead be instructed to wait their turns.
    Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'instead.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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