instance

instance — noun

1. a particular event, situation, or fact that is one example of a type of thing or

1.nounB1
Definition

a particular event, situation, or fact that is one example of a type of thing or that helps to show that something is generally true.

Example

In this instance, the store manager let the cashier go home early.

pattern: in this instance (adverbial phrase)

The Watanabe family found several instances where early treatment had helped their son.

countable noun with where-clause

Common collocations
  • instance of
  • for instance
  • in this instance
  • in the first instance
  • numerous instances
  • specific instance
  • isolated instance
  • clear instance
  • rare instance
Synonyms
  • example

    the more common, everyday word; 'instance' emphasises the event itself, while 'example' emphasises its representative quality

  • case

    focuses on a particular situation or set of circumstances; often used in legal or medical contexts

  • occurrence

    more neutral and general; simply means something that happens, without the idea of being representative

  • illustration

    formal; a specific case used to make a general point easier to understand; often interchangeable with 'example'

Grammar Patterns

instance of something

in this / that instance

for instance

Usage Note

"For instance" (meaning "for example") is used as a sentence adverbial to introduce a specific example. "In the first instance" is a formal phrase meaning "as the first step in a series of actions."

Common Mistakes

I have many instances to do this work.
I have had many instances of doing this work.
'instance' means an occurrence or example, not an opportunity or reason.
Idioms

for instance

idiom

used when giving a specific example of something you have just mentioned; the same as 'for example'.

Many electronic devices, for instance smartphones and tablets, contain rare metals that are hard to recycle.

in the first instance

idiom

as the first step in a series of actions; at the beginning of a process. Used especially in formal or official contexts.

If you have a complaint about the product, please contact our customer service team in the first instance.

instance — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Instance, example, and case all refer to something that represents a larger group or supports a general statement, but they differ in focus. Instance emphasises the concrete event or situation itself — something that actually happened at a particular time and place. Example is the most common and flexible word; it can refer to anything used to represent or explain a general idea, whether real or hypothetical. Case tends to be used for specific circumstances, often in legal, medical, or social contexts where the full situation matters (e.g. "a case of food poisoning"). Illustration is more formal and suggests a carefully chosen example intended to make an abstract idea clear, like a picture that accompanies text. In everyday conversation, example is the safest choice; in formal writing, instance and illustration add precision.

instance ↗example ↗case ↗illustration ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • court case instance
  • rare instance
  • isolated instance
  • specific instance
  • clear instance

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Instance comes from Latin 'instantia' meaning 'presence, urgency, a being near'. In medieval Latin, 'instantia' developed the sense of 'an example' based on the idea of something standing close by as evidence. The word entered English via French in the 14th century, first carrying the meaning of 'urgent request' (still visible in the phrase 'at the instance of'), and later shifting to the modern meaning of 'a case or example'.