n. 1
A case offered as an exemplification or a precedent; an illustrative example.
sometimes we love those that are absent, saith Philostratus, and gives instance in his friend Athenodorus, that loved a maid at Corinth whom he never saw […]
n. 2
An occasion; an order of occurrence.
v. 1
To mention as a case or example; to refer to.
Near-synonyms: adduce, cite
v. 2
To cite an example as proof; to exemplify.

Related words

Word family: instancy instant instantaneous instantial instantiate instantiation instantly
Phrases: instance in

Forms

Plural: instances → examples, cases, particulars, occurrences…
Past participle: instanced
e.g. instanced → cited, adduced, exemplified, illustrated…

Choose the right word

Instance, Precedent, Case or Example?

A precedent is an authoritative case, example, or instance. The communism of the early Christians in Jerusalem is a wonderful example or instance of Christian liberality, but not a precedent for the universal church through all time.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

example For example, he speaks German, French and English.
particular I mean students in general, but not in particular.
occurrence The occurrence of homicides has decreased recently.
occasion You should change your job if the occasion arises.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
instance		steady
example		rising
particular		steady
occurrence		falling

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters: case¹, cite¹
5 letters: point¹
6 letters: sample², adduce
7 letters: example³, request², pattern²
8 letters: pressure², occasion³, citation³, specimen³, exemplar³
9 letters: precedent³, prompting², exemplify⁴
10 letters: particular⁴, suggestion³, occurrence³, illustrate³, insistence³
12 letters: illustration⁴
14 letters: representative⁵
15 letters: exemplification

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (sample² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: instance