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 The scene shortly after the attack was tense, as law enforcement agents with a police dog walked through the streets looking for threats and instructed the public to stay clear of the mall. Colleen Slevin, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025 And the trio of senators supported an amendment to the budget resolution earlier this year that would have removed the language instructing the committee overseeing Medicaid to make $880 billion in cuts. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 2 June 2025 The order instructed the Department of Education to investigate academic institutions that failed to comply. Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2025 In March, Trump signed an executive order establishing a U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, instructing federal agencies to treat bitcoin as a long-term store of value. Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 31 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for instruct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instruct
Verb
  • Part of the campaign includes a limited edition Squish the Bug home plate turf mat designed to teach Little Leaguers the fundamentals of batting.
    John Perrotto, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
  • They are set to teach at a school in Morocco’s capital Rabat that follows the American model of education.
    Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • Attendees had been informed of the location just 48 hours in advance.
    Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 31 May 2025
  • According to a source with knowledge of the matter, who, like all in this article, wishes to remain anonymous to protect relations, Earps informed Wiegman of her decision to retire in April, but the England boss asked her to reconsider.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • Burt Reynolds told Business Insider in 2016 that, like Pacino, he was offered and turned down the part.
    Mike Miller Published, EW.com, 7 June 2025
  • The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 7 June 2025
Verb
  • The hands-on displays are designed to educate about teamwork, deduction, health care, coordination, agility and cognitive thinking, among others.
    Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 May 2025
  • Many school districts pay private providers to educate students with special needs.
    Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • Whether ships will sail from homeports during storms, the cruise company advises guests and future cruisers to opt-in to text alerts to get messages regarding on schedule changes.
    Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025
  • First, start with shattering functional silos, the researchers advise.
    Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • Showtime has ordered an eighth season of its drama The Chi, putting the show into rare company at the outlet.
    Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 29 May 2025
  • As part of his administration’s campaign against DEI programs, Trump has also ordered federal agencies, including FERC, to stop considering environmental justice in decision-making.
    John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2025
Verb
  • Think about the vast difference between typing in keywords to get hyperlinks, and simply asking an intelligent entity a question.
    John Werner, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • The response from her daughter was electric, and people began to comment on the fun design and ask about her interest in ballet.
    Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • Walz, while lacking the same national exposure that some of his potential rivals have commanded this year, remains actively engaged across the country.
    Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
  • The driving beat keeps the pressure up, as Who’s voice reaches a new stratosphere, commanding you to get to the nearest dancefloor ASAP.
    Stephen Daw, Billboard, 30 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Instruct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instruct. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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