instead
Valid in Scrabble
- Scrabble points
- 8
- Words With Friends
- 9
- Letters
- 7
/ɪnˈstɛd/
See all 2 pronunciations Show less
/ɪnˈstɛd/ · /ɪnˈstiːd/
Definition of instead
1 sense · 1 part of speech · etymology included
adv
-
(not-comparable)In the place of something (usually mentioned earlier); as a substitute or alternative.
“I was going to go shopping, but I went dancing instead.”
“‘It's rather like a beautiful Inverness cloak one has inherited. Much too good to hide away, so one wears it instead of an overcoat and pretends it's an amusing new fashion.’”
“Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […]. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. […] But the scandals kept coming, […]. A broad section of the political class now recognises the need for change but remains unable to see the necessity of a fundamental overhaul. Instead it offers fixes and patches.”
Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.
Etymology
From in + stead, from Middle English ine (“in”) + stede (“stead”). Related to German statt.
Words you can make from instead
200+ playable · top: DESTAIN (8 pts)
Best play destain 8 points7-letter words
5 words6-letter words
10 words5-letter words
56 words- ADITS 6 pts
- AIDES 6 pts
- ANTED 6 pts
- ASIDE 6 pts
- DATES 6 pts
- DEANS 6 pts
- DEIST 6 pts
- DENTS 6 pts
- DIETS 6 pts
- DINES 6 pts
- DINTS 6 pts
- DITAS 6 pts
- DITES 6 pts
- EDITS 6 pts
- IDEAS 6 pts
- IDENT 6 pts
- NIDES 6 pts
- SANED 6 pts
- SATED 6 pts
- SEDAN 6 pts
- SITED 6 pts
- SNIDE 6 pts
- STADE 6 pts
- STAID 6 pts
- STAND 6 pts
- STEAD 6 pts
- STIED 6 pts
- TASED 6 pts
- TEIND 6 pts
- TENDS 6 pts
- TIDES 6 pts
- TINED 6 pts
- TSADE 6 pts
- TSADI 6 pts
- ANISE 5 pts
- ANTES 5 pts
- ANTIS 5 pts
- ENTIA 5 pts
- ETNAS 5 pts
- INSET 5 pts
- NATES 5 pts
- NEATS 5 pts
- NEIST 5 pts
- NITES 5 pts
- SAINT 5 pts
- SATIN 5 pts
- SENTI 5 pts
- STAIN 5 pts
- STANE 5 pts
- STEIN 5 pts
- TAINS 5 pts
- TEINS 5 pts
- TENIA 5 pts
- TIANS 5 pts
- TINEA 5 pts
- TINES 5 pts
4-letter words
76 words- ADIT 5 pts
- AIDE 5 pts
- AIDS 5 pts
- ANDS 5 pts
- DAIS 5 pts
- DANS 5 pts
- DATE 5 pts
- DEAN 5 pts
- DENI 5 pts
- DENS 5 pts
- DENT 5 pts
- DESI 5 pts
- DIES 5 pts
- DIET 5 pts
- DINE 5 pts
- DINS 5 pts
- DINT 5 pts
- DITA 5 pts
- DITE 5 pts
- DITS 5 pts
- EDIT 5 pts
- ENDS 5 pts
- IDEA 5 pts
- IDES 5 pts
- NIDE 5 pts
- SADE 5 pts
- SADI 5 pts
- SAID 5 pts
- SAND 5 pts
- SEND 5 pts
- SIDE 5 pts
- SNED 5 pts
- TADS 5 pts
- TEDS 5 pts
- TEND 5 pts
- TIDE 5 pts
- TIED 5 pts
- AINS 4 pts
- AITS 4 pts
- ANES 4 pts
- ANIS 4 pts
- ANTE 4 pts
- ANTI 4 pts
- ANTS 4 pts
- ATES 4 pts
- EAST 4 pts
- EATS 4 pts
- ETAS 4 pts
- ETNA 4 pts
- NAES 4 pts
- NEAT 4 pts
- NEST 4 pts
- NETS 4 pts
- NITE 4 pts
- NITS 4 pts
- SAIN 4 pts
- SANE 4 pts
- SATE 4 pts
- SATI 4 pts
- SEAT 4 pts
- SENT 4 pts
- SETA 4 pts
- SINE 4 pts
- SITE 4 pts
- SNIT 4 pts
- STAN 4 pts
- TAIN 4 pts
- TANS 4 pts
- TASE 4 pts
- TEAS 4 pts
- TEIN 4 pts
- TENS 4 pts
- TIAN 4 pts
- TIES 4 pts
- TINE 4 pts
- TINS 4 pts
3-letter words
51 words- ADS 4 pts
- AID 4 pts
- AND 4 pts
- DAN 4 pts
- DAS 4 pts
- DEN 4 pts
- DIE 4 pts
- DIN 4 pts
- DIS 4 pts
- DIT 4 pts
- EDS 4 pts
- END 4 pts
- IDS 4 pts
- SAD 4 pts
- TAD 4 pts
- TED 4 pts
- AIN 3 pts
- AIS 3 pts
- AIT 3 pts
- ANE 3 pts
- ANI 3 pts
- ANT 3 pts
- ATE 3 pts
- ATS 3 pts
- EAT 3 pts
- ENS 3 pts
- EST 3 pts
- ETA 3 pts
- INS 3 pts
- ITS 3 pts
- NAE 3 pts
- NET 3 pts
- NIT 3 pts
- SAE 3 pts
- SAN 3 pts
- SAT 3 pts
- SEA 3 pts
- SEI 3 pts
- SEN 3 pts
- SET 3 pts
- SIN 3 pts
- SIT 3 pts
- TAE 3 pts
- TAN 3 pts
- TAS 3 pts
- TEA 3 pts
- TEN 3 pts
- TES 3 pts
- TIE 3 pts
- TIN 3 pts
- TIS 3 pts
2-letter words
1 wordFind your best play with instead
See every word you can make from a set of letters that includes instead, or browse word lists you can mine for high-scoring plays.