instead

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   In place of something else; as a different choice.

   There was no coffee, so I had tea instead.

2. 2
   adv

   Used to say what really happens or is done, in contrast to what was expected.

   I expected him to be angry, but instead he laughed.

Simplified etymology

Instead arose in Middle English by combining the phrase in stead, meaning “in place of,” into one word. Stead comes from Old English stede, “place,” and ultimately from a Germanic source.

From in + stead, from Middle English ine (“in”) + stede (“stead”). Related to German statt.

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary