instruct
instruct
Pronunciation
/ɪnˈstrʌkt/
Syllable Breakdown
in- (/ɪn/)
ɪ: The 'i' sound as in "sit" or "kit."
n: The 'n' sound as in "no" or "run."
-struct (/strʌkt/)
s: The 's' sound as in "see."
t: The 't' sound as in "top."
r: The 'r' sound as in "red."
ʌ: The 'u' sound as in "strut" or "mud" (the stressed "uh" sound).
k: The 'k' sound as in "kick."
t: The final 't' sound as in "cat."
Word Form Variations
Verb (Base): instruct
Verb (Present, 3rd Person): instructs
Verb (Past Tense/Past Participle): instructed
Verb (Present Participle/Gerund): instructing
Noun (Action/Concept): instruction
Noun (Plural, directions): instructions
Noun (Person): instructor
Noun (Person, Plural):D instructors
Adjective: instructive
Adverb: instructively
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb (instruct)
To formally teach or provide someone with knowledge, skills, or specific information.
Synonyms: teach, educate, train, tutor, coach, school
Antonyms: learn, study, misinform, mislead, confuse
To give a clear and authoritative order or command.
Synonyms: order, command, direct, charge, require, mandate
Antonyms: ask, request, plead, obey, follow
Noun (instruction)
The act or process of teaching, training, or providing knowledge.
Synonyms: education, teaching, training, tutoring, coaching, pedagogy
Antonyms: miseducation, confusion, ignorance
(Usually plural, instructions) Detailed information or steps explaining how to do, use, or operate something.
Synonyms: directions, guidance, guidelines, steps, procedures, manual
Antonyms: misdirection, ambiguity, guesswork
A formal order or command.
Synonyms: order, directive, command, mandate
Antonyms: request, plea, suggestion
Noun (instructor)
A person whose job is to teach a particular skill or subject.
Synonyms: teacher, trainer, coach, tutor, educator, guide
Antonyms: student, pupil, learner, novice, trainee
Adjective (instructive)
Providing useful or valuable knowledge, information, or insight; educational.
Synonyms: informative, educational, enlightening, revealing, helpful
Antonyms: uninformative, unhelpful, confusing, misleading, useless
Adverb (instructively)
In a way that teaches a lesson or provides useful information.
Synonyms: helpfully, educationally, informatively, revealingly
Antonyms: unhelpfully, confusingly
Examples of Use
In Books and Literature
As "instruct" (teach): "In Zen in the Art of Archery, the master instructs his pupil that the shot must 'shoot itself' without conscious effort from the archer."
As "instructive" (informative): "The protagonist found his journey through the ruins of the old city to be strangely instructive, teaching him more about the fall of the empire than any history book."
In Newspapers and Legal Contexts
As "instructed" (ordered): "The judge instructed the jury to disregard the witness's testimony after the objection was sustained."
As "instruction" (command): "The regulatory agency issued a formal instruction to the utility company, demanding it pause operations pending a full safety review."
In Online Publications and Tech
As "instructions" (directions): "If your phone fails to restart, the support document provides instructions for initiating a hard reset by holding the power and volume-down buttons." (Tech blog or support site)
As "instructive" (educational): "The messy rollout of the new software update is instructive for other developers, serving as a case study in what not to do before a major launch." (Online tech magazine)
In Entertainment and Media
As "instructions" (plot device): "In the spy thriller, the agent received a secret message containing coded instructions for his next rendezvous." (Movie/TV show synopsis)
As "instructs" (game mechanics): "The tutorial level instructs the player to press the 'A' button to jump and the 'X' button to attack, teaching the basic controls." (Video game)
On Platforms (Social Media and Video)
As "instructor" (person): "In today's video, our certified yoga instructor will guide you through a 30-minute morning flow to help you wake up." (YouTube)
As "instructing" (teaching): "I'm instructing my followers on how to spot a 'phishing' email. Look for bad grammar and suspicious links." (Social media post)
In General Public Discourse
As "instructions" (directions): "I can't assemble this IKEA bookshelf; the instructions are just confusing pictures with no text."
As "instructed" (ordered at work): "My manager instructed me to finish the quarterly report by the end of the day."
As "instruction" (teaching): "My son is starting guitar lessons next week, but the instruction is all online."
10 Famous Quotes Using Instruct
"Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still." (Proverbs 9:9)
"If you instruct a man, you instruct an individual; if you instruct a woman, you instruct a generation." (African Proverb)
"Instruct the ignorant as far as you can; if they will not learn, see to it that they pee against the wind." (Marcus Aurelius)
"We must instruct our children in the traditions of pluralism." (Jimmy Carter)
"To instruct others is to help them to learn how to learn." (Jiddu Krishnamurti)
"Reason can instruct us in the utility of the rules of justice." (David Hume)
"I cannot instruct him; I can only make him think." (Socrates)
"It is the chief duty of the gospel ministry to instruct men in the way of salvation." (Charles Finney)
"The business of a scientific school is to instruct students in the methods of investigation." (Charles William Eliot)
"If you would instruct, be brief, that your readers' minds may readily comprehend and faithfully retain your words." (Horace)
Etymology
The word "instruct" comes from the idea of "building into" someone.
It traces back to the Latin word instruere. We can break this Latin word into two parts:
in-: A prefix meaning "in," "into," or "on."
struere: A root word meaning "to build," "to pile up," or "to arrange."
So, the literal, physical meaning of the Latin word instruere was "to build in," "to set in order," or "to equip." You could use it to talk about physically building a wall, or more commonly, "arranging" soldiers for battle (equipping them and putting them in their proper formation).
When "instruct" first appeared in English around the 1400s, it kept this concept of "building in," but applied it to the mind. The first known meaning was "to teach" or "to impart knowledge."
When you instruct someone, you are metaphorically "building" knowledge into their mind or "arranging" information in their head so they can understand it. The related meaning of "to give an order" came later, evolving from the idea of "teaching" someone exactly what they are required to do.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Instruct
Common Phrases Using "Instruct"
To instruct someone to [action]: This is the most common use, meaning to give a direct order.
Example: "She was instructed to wait by the door."
To instruct someone on/in [a topic]: This means to teach someone a specific skill or subject.
Example: "He will instruct the trainees on proper safety procedures."
To instruct the jury: A formal legal phrase where a judge gives the jury their legal guidelines.
Clearly instructed / Specifically instructed: Emphasizes that the direction was clear and unambiguous.
Instructed by [a person/reason]: Shows who gave the order or what caused the action.
Example: "He was instructed by his lawyer not to speak."
Example: "They were instructed by common sense to evacuate."
As instructed: A formal way of saying "as I was told."
Example: "I have filled out the forms as instructed."
Related Idioms (Using Synonyms)
Since "instruct" is a formal word, it's not often used in a figurative or idiomatic way. Here are idioms that capture the different meanings of instruct (to teach, or to command).
Idioms for "To Teach":
Show someone the ropes: To instruct or teach someone the basics of how to do a job or task.
Teach someone a lesson: To punish someone as a way of instructing them not to repeat a negative behavior.
Teach an old dog new tricks: (Usually used negatively) To instruct someone who is set in their ways and unwilling to learn.
Teach your grandmother to suck eggs: To try to instruct someone who is already an expert on the topic.
Idioms for "To Command" or "Order":
Lay down the law: To instruct someone in a very firm, authoritarian way what the rules are.
Read someone the riot act: To sternly instruct or warn someone to stop their bad behavior.
Call the shots / Call the tune: To be the person in charge who instructs others what to do.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of instruct from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
