We need some formal instruction in literature.
Source: tatoeba (23484)
Instruction
/ɪnˈstɹʌkʃən/
Synonyms for "instruction" (404 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (81)
Noun(42 words)
educationteachingcommandacademic guidelineaccept at face valueaction ruleadmonitionsadviceagency guidelinealgorithm stepalgorithm stepsalgorithmic stepanswer questionsassignment topicbe directed bybe patientbehestbiddingbidsbillet
Show 22 more words
blade sharpeningbriefingsbrusquestcall to actioncall to action phrasecatechisingcease talkingcentral administration directivechemical manipulation techniqueschemistry demonstrationcircle the answercivil orderclassroom commandclassroom directiveclassroom guidelineclassroom instructionclear online community guidelinescollege tuitioncommandmentcommandscommission a studycommissions
Determiner(1 words)
a halt
accomplishmentaccomplishmentsaccountacquaintanceacquisitionacquisition of knowledgeacquisitionsadmonitionadviceadvisingadvocacyannouncementassignmentattainmentattainmentsbiddingblue bookbriefbriefingbulletin
Show 11 more words
Verb(2 words)
ask questionbuild a sql statement
Adjective(5 words)
biological procedurebureaucratic rulescivil order guidelineclear directioncommon pedagogical term
Strong matches (121)
Adjective(11 words)
computational stepcomputational unitcurrent normsdanish ordendigital promptsdirective actiondutch ordeeducational actioneducational guidanceexperimental protocolimmediate action
Noun(53 words)
computer instructionscomputing operationconditioningcounseldictatesdictatingdidacticsdigital taskdirectiondirectionsdirectivedirective leadershipdirectivenessdirectivesdisciplinary trainingdo not disturbediting cueeducate verbeducatingeducation practice
Show 33 more words
educational activityeducationsencyclicalengage in communicationenjoiningenjoinmentexhortationsexperiment guidanceformaciónfrench leçonfrench ordregardeninggermanisationgo straightgovernment directedgovernment guidelinesgrammar ruleguidanceguideguidelinesguidinghintshold steadyhomework guidelineimpartingimperative sentenceinculcationindoctrinatingindoctrinationinformationinforminginjunctionsinstructing
consultationcouncilcounseldatadatumdecreedictatedidacticsdirectiondirectivedirectorydisciplinediscoursedispatchdisquisitiondoctrinedopedrilldrillingedification
Show 30 more words
educationenlightenmentevidenceexerciseexhortationexpositionexpostulationfactsfactual informationfamiliarizationgengeneral informationgeneral ordersgoodsguidanceguidebookguidelinehandoutharanguehard informationhomeworkhomilyhortationideailluminationincidental informationindoctrinationinfoinformationinjunction
Verb(7 words)
deliver contentdictate guidelinesdiscipliningfollow the scheduleignore rules guidelineinsert em spaceinstruct learners
Related words (202)
Noun(87 words)
instruction cueinstructional commandkeep quietlab protocollearning experiencelecture only instructionlecturinglesson cultural neglectmandatemandatingmanualmath rulemoisten the papermore directiveofficial guidelineonboardingorder for presentationorder in sequenceorderingorders
Show 67 more words
orders number lookupordinal attribute orderoversight mandatepedagogypiano techniquepizzicatopolicy directedpolicy directivepolicy interpretationprescriptionspress startprocedureprocess stepprocess typeprogram linepromptsprovide an examplepublic orderreciperecipesrelease directivesremain seatedrequire parental consentrespect for othersromanian ordinertfmrulessafety directivesafety instructionschoolselect operation modesequence itemssilence the chatterskillingskydivingsoup recipespanish orientaciónspecificationsports team coachstate clearlystatementstay focusedstay hydratedstay stillstepstop cryingswedish läratalk throughtaskingteach portuguese grammarteacher ledteaching abmteaching activityteaching guidelineteachingstime place rulestitrant typetrainingtraining and developmenttribal council directivetutorialsundress yourselfusage notewait quietlywarn repeatedlywater dailywork instructions
Adjective(17 words)
instructional guidanceinstructional phraseliturgical rulenew ordernorwegian ordennumbered entryofficial guidelinesportuguese orientaçãopublic program guidelinesscientific protocolspecific rulestay put orderstep by step explanationstructured deliveryswedish ordningunstructured guidancewritten directive
instructionsintelligenceknowknowledgelearninglecturelecture-demonstrationlessonlessonsliberal educationlightmentionmessagemonitionmoralmoral lessonmoralitymoralizationnoticenotification
Show 63 more words
object lessonopinionorderorientationparleypedagogicspedagogypreachmentpreceptpreparationprescriptprescriptionpresentationprivate teachingprogrammed instructionpromotional materialproofproposalpublicationpublicityrecitalrecitationrecommendationreeducationregulationreleaseremonstrancereportruleschoolingscoopself-instructionself-teachingsermonset tasksidelightskull sessionsophisticationspoon-feedingstatementstore of knowledgesuggestiontalktaskteachteachingthe dopethe goodsthe knowthe scoopthoughttrainingtransmissiontuitiontutelagetutoragetutorialtutoringtutorshipwarningwhite bookwhite paperword
Verb(9 words)
keep to timetablepaint the wallpush a blockrandomize order of datashow stepssummarize findingsteach place valueterminate inquirywater the garden
Determiner(6 words)
most federal guidelinesno rotationno rotation requirementthe commandsthe disciplinethe rules
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: education, teaching, command, a halt, academic guideline.
- Sentence evidence is available for instruction, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "instruction".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "instruction"
Keep "instruction" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "instruction" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "instruction", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "instruction" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
13 entriesMore specific
9 entriesassembly instructionclassroom instructiondemonstrationhow to guidelecturelessonsafety instructionstep by step directionsuser manual
Collocations
6 entriesassembly instructionclear instructionhow to guideinstruction manualstep by step directionswritten instructions
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
4 entriesTranslations
28 translations across 16 languages.
Albanian
1 entries- udhëzues noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Bulgarian
2 entries- инструкция noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
- указание noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Danish
1 entries- vejlederen noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Finnish
2 entries- ohje noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
- opastus noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Georgian
2 entries- ინსტრუქცია noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
- მითითება noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
German
1 entries- Anweisung noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Greek
2 entries- οδηγία noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
- συμβουλή noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Hindi
2 entries- विज्ञप्ति noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
- सूचना noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Irish
1 entries- treoir noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Marathi
1 entries- सूचना noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Portuguese
1 entries- instrução noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Romanian
4 entries- indicație noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
- instrucțiune noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
- îndrumare noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
- învățătură noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Russian
4 entries- инстру́кция noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
- предписа́ние noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
- распоряже́ние noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
- указа́ние noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Scottish Gaelic
2 entries- stiùireadh noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
- teagasg noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Spanish
1 entries- instrucción noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Swedish
1 entries- instruktör noun (that which instructs, or with which one is instructed)
Sample sentences
16 total sentences available.
In other words, education is the instruction of the intellect in the laws of Nature.
Source: tatoeba (239662)
I checked every part according to the instruction book, but it did not run.
Source: tatoeba (272524)
He was explicit in his instruction.
Source: tatoeba (286469)
Showing 4 of 16 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "instruction"?
Closest matches include education, teaching, command, a halt, academic guideline.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "instruction"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.