INSTANCE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does instance mean? 

• INSTANCE (noun)
  The noun INSTANCE has 2 senses:

1. an occurrence of something

2. an item of information that is typical of a class or group

  Familiarity information: INSTANCE used as a noun is rare.

• INSTANCE (verb)
  The verb INSTANCE has 1 sense:

1. clarify by giving an example of

  Familiarity information: INSTANCE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INSTANCE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An occurrence of something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

case; example; instance

Context example:

but there is always the famous example of the Smiths

Hypernyms ("instance" is a kind of...):

happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "instance"):

humiliation; mortification (an instance in which you are caused to lose your prestige or self-respect)

bit; piece (an instance of some kind)

clip; time (an instance or single occasion for some event)

Derivation:

instantiate (find an instance of (a word or particular usage of a word))

instantiate (represent by an instance)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An item of information that is typical of a class or group

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

example; illustration; instance; representative

Context example:

there is an example on page 10

Hypernyms ("instance" is a kind of...):

information (knowledge acquired through study or experience or instruction)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "instance"):

apology; excuse (a poor example)

exception (an instance that does not conform to a rule or generalization)

case in point; precedent (an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time)

quintessence (the most typical example or representative of a type)

sample (a small part of something intended as representative of the whole)

specimen (an example regarded as typical of its class)

Derivation:

instance (clarify by giving an example of)

instantiate (find an instance of (a word or particular usage of a word))

instantiate (represent by an instance)

• INSTANCE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they instance    ... he / she / it instances   
Past simple: instanced   
Past participle: instanced   
-ing form: instancing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Clarify by giving an example of

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

exemplify; illustrate; instance

Hypernyms (to "instance" is one way to...):

dilate; elaborate; enlarge; expand; expatiate; exposit; expound; flesh out; lucubrate (add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

instance (an item of information that is typical of a class or group)

 Context examples 

These can be used, for instance, to specify proprietary properties and in-house processing hints.

(Extendable Class, NCI Thesaurus)

If one shook hands, for instance; but no—that would not content me either.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

In some cases the titles had been altered: "Finis," for instance, being changed to "The Finish," and "The Song of the Outer Reef" to "The Song of the Coral Reef."

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

An instance of an exposure event or incident that is intended to take place.

(Exposure Planned Occurrence, NCI Thesaurus)

Molecular genetic abnormalities are also often found and, in some instances, may lead to cancer.

(Dysplasia, NCI Thesaurus)

In this case, computers learned to identify planets by finding in Kepler data instances where the telescope recorded changes in starlight caused by planets beyond our solar system, known as exoplanets.

(Artificial Intelligence, NASA Data Used to Discover Eighth Planet Circling Distant Star, NASA)

For instance, your friend might be your roommate and not be able to pay this month’s rent.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

She was a woman rather of sound than of quick abilities, whose difficulties in coming to any decision in this instance were great, from the opposition of two leading principles.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

For instance, gut microbes can influence both local and body-wide immune system activity and inflammation.

(Gut microbes may affect cancer treatment, NIH)

The class of a class; a class whose instances are themselves classes.

(Metaclass, NCI Thesaurus)