instead of
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instead of
prep.
In place of; rather than: ordered chicken instead of fish.
conj.
Rather than.
Usage Note: Traditionally, instead of is a preposition used like rather than, and the two constructions are often used interchangeably: We had spaghetti instead of (or rather than) pizza. The constructions are frequently used with participles in comparisons in which the alternate entity is a main verb: Instead of (or rather than) taking the bus, we walked to the theater. Rather than has a further use as a conjunction when the comparison is of one main verb with another: We took the bus rather than walk. In these constructions, instead of is sometimes used as well—something that, under the word's traditional categorization as a preposition, would seem a grammatical error. But in our 2005 survey, 63 percent of the Usage Panel allowed the sentence We would have liked to buy instead of rent, but prices were just too high. Writers should bear in mind, however, that this use of instead of is somewhat informal.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
instead
– instead of1. 'instead'
Instead is an adverb. You use it when saying what someone does rather than doing something else.
Hema did not answer. Instead she looked out of the taxi window.
I felt like crying, but I managed to smile instead.
2. 'instead of'
Instead of is a preposition. You use it to introduce something that is not done, not used, or not true, in contrast to something that is done, is used, or is true.
Why not use your bike to get to work instead of your car?
You can have rice instead of potatoes.
You can say that someone does something instead of doing something else.
You could always go camping instead of staying in a hotel.
Why don't you help, instead of standing there and watching?
Be Careful!
Don't say that someone does something 'instead to do' something else.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
Translations
بدلا منبَدَلَاً مِنْ
místo
i stedet for
jonkin sijaansen sijaan että
umjesto
helyett: valami helyett
í staîinn fyrir
･･･の代わりに
...대신에
i stället för
แทนที่จะ
-in yerineyerine
thay vì
instead
(inˈsted) adverb as a substitute; in place of something or someone. I don't like coffee. Could I please have tea instead?
instead of in place of. Please take me instead of him; You should have been working instead of watching television.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
instead of
→ بَدَلَاً مِنْ místo i stedet for statt αντί en vez de jonkin sijaan au lieu de umjesto invece di ･･･の代わりに ...대신에 in plaats van i stedet for w zamian za em vez de вместо i stället för แทนที่จะ yerine thay vì 而不是...Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009