Instead
Definition
Instead is an adverb that is used to indicate substitution or an alternative. It signifies that one action or item replaces another or is done in place of something else.
Parts of Speech
- Adverb
Pronunciation
American English
- IPA Pronunciation: /ɪnˈstɛd/
- Respelling: in-STED
British English
- IPA Pronunciation: /ɪnˈstɛd/
- Respelling: in-STED
Etymology
The word "instead" originates from the Middle English "in sted(e)," meaning "in place of." It combines "in" (inside, within) and "stead" (a place or position). Its usage became more formalized in the 15th century, eventually merging into a single word.
Derivatives
- Instead-of (phrase)
- Insteadness (noun, rare)
- Reinstead (verb, rare)
- Insteadlike (adjective, archaic)
- Uninstead (adverb, obsolete)
Synonyms
- Rather
- Alternatively
- Substitute
Antonyms
- Likewise
- Similarly
- Additionally
Usage
The term "instead" is commonly used in both formal and informal communication to suggest alternatives. For example, "She chose tea instead of coffee," or "They went to the park instead of the museum."
Related Terms
- Substitution: The act of replacing one thing with another.
- Alternative: A different option or choice.
- Replacement: Something that takes the place of another.
Detailed Definitions
Adverb
- As a substitute or alternative: Refers to choosing one thing in place of another.
- Example: "I decided to walk instead of taking the bus."
- In place of something previously mentioned: Indicates a replacement for a previously stated option.
- Example: "They didn’t argue but, instead, discussed the matter calmly."
instead
Instead is used to show a different choice or alternative, as the woman in the image picks fruit rather than cake.
I decided to walk instead of taking the bus.
They didn’t argue but, instead, discussed the matter calmly.
🇨🇳 Mandarin
- 代替 (dàitì) — instead
- IPA: /taɪ˨˩˦ ti˥˩/
- English respelling: dai-ti
- 反而 (fǎn'ér) — on the contrary, can refer to instead
- IPA: /fan˧˨ ɚ˨˩˦/
- English respelling: fan-er
🇮🇳 Hindi
- बजाय (bajaay) — instead
- IPA: /bədʒaːj/
- English respelling: ba-jaay
- की जगह (ki jagah) — in place of, can refer to instead
- IPA: /kiː dʒəɡɑː/
- English respelling: ki-ja-gah
🇪🇸 Spanish
- En vez de — instead of
- IPA: /en ved de/
- English respelling: en-vez-de
- En lugar de — in place of, can refer to instead
- IPA: /en luˈɣar de/
- English respelling: en-lu-gar-de
🇫🇷 French
- Au lieu de — instead of
- IPA: /o ljø də/
- English respelling: o-lieu-de
- Plutôt que — rather than, can refer to instead
- IPA: /ply.tot ke/
- English respelling: plu-tot-ke
🇸🇦 Modern Standard Arabic
- بدلا من (badala min) — instead of
- IPA: /badala min/
- English respelling: badala-min
- عوضا عن (awwada an) — instead of, in place of
- IPA: /ʕawwada ʕan/
- English respelling: awwada-an
🇧🇩 Bengali
- এর পরিবর্তে (er poriborte) — instead of
- IPA: /er pɔrit̪ort̪e/
- English respelling: er-pori-bor-te
- বদলে (bodle) — instead
- IPA: /bɔd̪le/
- English respelling: bod-le
🇷🇺 Russian
- Вместо (vmesto) — instead of
- IPA: /vmʲestə/
- English respelling: vme-sto
- Заменить (zamenit') — to replace, can refer to instead
- IPA: /zɐˈmʲenʲɪtʲ/
- English respelling: za-me-nit
🇵🇹 Portuguese
- Em vez de — instead of
- IPA: /ẽj veʃ dʒi/
- English respelling: em-vez-de
- Ao invés de — instead of, alternatively
- IPA: /aw ĩˈves dʒi/
- English respelling: ao-in-ves-de
🇮🇩 Indonesian
- Daripada — instead of
- IPA: /dariˈpada/
- English respelling: da-ri-pa-da
- Sebagai gantinya — as a replacement, can refer to instead
- IPA: /səˈbəgai ˈgantinʎa/
- English respelling: se-ba-gai-gan-ti-nya
🇩🇪 German
- Anstelle von — instead of
- IPA: /anˈʃtɛlə fɔn/
- English respelling: an-stelle-von
- Statt — instead
- IPA: /ʃtat/
- English respelling: shtat
🇯🇵 Japanese
- 代わりに (kawarini) — instead
- IPA: /kawari ni/
- English respelling: ka-wa-ri-ni
- それどころか (soredokoroka) — on the contrary, can refer to instead
- IPA: /soɾedokoɾoka/
- English respelling: so-re-do-ko-ro-ka
🇻🇳 Vietnamese
- Thay vì — instead of
- IPA: /tʰaj vi/
- English respelling: thay-vi
- Mà không phải — but not, can refer to instead
- IPA: /maː kʰwəŋ fai/
- English respelling: ma-khong-phai
🇰🇷 Korean
- 대신에 (daesin-e) — instead
- IPA: /tɛʃin e/
- English respelling: dae-shin-e
- 그런데 (geureonde) — however, can refer to instead
- IPA: /kɯɾɯnde/
- English respelling: geu-reon-de
🇹🇷 Turkish
- Yerine — instead of
- IPA: /jeˈɾiːne/
- English respelling: ye-ri-ne
- Tersine — on the contrary, can refer to instead
- IPA: /teɾˈsiːne/
- English respelling: ter-si-ne
🇵🇰 Urdu
- کی بجائے (ki bajaay) — instead of
- IPA: /kiː bədʒaːje/
- English respelling: ki-ba-jaay
- بلکہ (balkay) — rather, can refer to instead
- IPA: /bəlkeɪ/
- English respelling: bal-kay
