instruct

Synonym Chooser

How is the word instruct different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of instruct are discipline, educate, school, teach, and train. While all these words mean "to cause to acquire knowledge or skill," instruct suggests methodical or formal teaching.

instructs raw recruits in military drill

Where would discipline be a reasonable alternative to instruct?

While in some cases nearly identical to instruct, discipline implies training in habits of order and precision.

a disciplined mind

When is educate a more appropriate choice than instruct?

The words educate and instruct are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, educate implies development of the mind.

more things than formal schooling serve to educate a person

When can school be used instead of instruct?

While the synonyms school and instruct are close in meaning, school implies training or disciplining especially in what is hard to master.

schooled the horse in five gaits

When is it sensible to use teach instead of instruct?

The meanings of teach and instruct largely overlap; however, teach applies to any manner of imparting information or skill so that others may learn.

taught us a lot about our planet

When might train be a better fit than instruct?

Although the words train and instruct have much in common, train stresses instruction and drill with a specific end in view.

trained foreign pilots to operate the new aircraft

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 instruct Consumers wishing to participate were instructed to not shop online, or in-store, and not to spend money on gas and fast food. Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 28 Feb. 2025 Inspectors had to instruct the employee to sanitize the cutting board after washing it. Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 28 Feb. 2025 The district would also mark off intersections within the school campus to instruct drivers not to block them. Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 26 Feb. 2025 Several workers said that since then they had been instructed to give open offers to the hospital. Brian M. Rosenthal, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for instruct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instruct
Verb
  • Before turning to journalism, Hammond taught English while living in Thailand and Malaysia.
    Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Though Reacher sounds disappointed that Zachary Beck never taught his son to punch — my dad didn’t teach me, either!
    Chris Klimek, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • They were also informed that the wait for a table exceeded an hour.
    Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Some stories were beautiful, while others were less pleasant, but the mix informed my preparation.
    Elissa Suh, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Alex Pereira has heard what Magomed Ankalaev and his team have been saying ahead of their light heavyweight title clash at UFC 313 and has told his opposite number to put his money where his mouth is.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Effectively sharing your successes means going beyond the metrics and telling compelling stories that build trust and credibility.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • This measures how much schools actually spend on educating each student.
    Emma Whitford, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Favorite pieces will be featured in Lincoln-Way Area Chorale’s concert celebrating three decades of educating, uniting, enriching and inspiring through music.
    Jessi Virtusio, Chicago Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • For instance, a donor with a strong financial background could offer guidance on budgeting or cost management, while someone with technology expertise could advise on software solutions for data collection.
    Victoria Philips, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
  • The loss of jobs and funding have impacted deep-red districts that went for Trump, whose constituents have delivered such blistering feedback at town halls that GOP leaders have advised Republicans in Congress to quit appearing at such events.
    Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Last August, the Maryland Supreme Court upheld that ruling and ordered a redo on the hearing to vacate Syed’s conviction.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Bove demanded the names of thousands of FBI agents who participated in the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and ordered the dismissal of New York City Mayor Eric Adams' corruption case.
    Compiled by Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Jason Kelce, the former Eagles center turned ESPN analyst, asked how Travis made his decision to return to KC.
    Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2025
  • School board member Roberto Alonso also spoke at the February meeting and aligned himself with Gallon, asking the school district to provide a memo related to how BusPatrol revenue is being spent.
    Clara-Sophia Daly, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Edwards signed a two-year deal with the Chargers last offseason and was due to command $4.25 million of the salary cap.
    Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2025
  • The way their needs stack up, they may be tempted to spend free-agency dollars, premium draft capital or both on positions that typically do not command such resources.
    Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 7 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Instruct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instruct. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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