instead of pursuing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "instead of pursuing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate an alternative action or choice that is being made in place of pursuing something. Example: "Instead of pursuing a career in law, she decided to follow her passion for art."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Instead of pursuing A.F.C.

The New York Times - Sports

Instead of pursuing peace, Russia and Assad make war.

The Guardian - Opinion

At age 18, instead of pursuing a university education, he became a commodities trader.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Nothing that happened Friday precluded his pursuing those moves instead of pursuing the playoffs.

The New York Times - Sports

She denied hers was a "cause"; she spoke instead of pursuing her "interest".

The Guardian

"Instead of pursuing peace, Russia and Assad make war," she said.

The New York Times

Instead of pursuing them, he reckons, Lula will be fully occupied just keeping his coalition government together.

The Economist

Privately held companies, including those owned by private equity firms, have weighed going public instead of pursuing a deal.

The New York Times

Instead of pursuing a narcissistic project, Thoreau might be seen as demonstrating the possibility of stepping out of social ruts.

The New Yorker

"Instead of pursuing their peaceful online critics, Saudi officials would be better employed in carrying out much-needed reforms".

The New Yorker

Instead of pursuing grandiose agendas for bigger government, smaller government or colonizing Mars, how about just fixing what we have?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "instead of pursuing", ensure that the alternative action is clearly stated and provides a viable contrast to the action not taken. This clarifies the intention and strengthens the sentence.

Common error

Avoid using "instead of pursuing" when the alternative action is not a genuine replacement or doesn't offer a clear contrast. Ensure the chosen alternative makes logical sense in the context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "instead of pursuing" functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces an alternative action or course. It sets up a contrast, indicating that one option is being chosen over another. As Ludwig indicates, it is used in a variety of contexts to provide a substitution or a redirection.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

15%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "instead of pursuing" is a versatile and commonly used construction for indicating an alternative action or choice. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and widely applicable. It is frequently found in news articles, scientific publications, and encyclopedias. Alternatives include "rather than pursuing" and "in lieu of pursuing". To effectively use "instead of pursuing", ensure the alternative is a clear and logical contrast to the action being replaced.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rather than pursuing

Emphasizes preference, focusing on the choice made over the action not taken.

in lieu of pursuing

A more formal alternative, indicating that one action is done in place of another.

as opposed to pursuing

Highlights a contrast between two actions or options.

in place of pursuing

Directly substitutes one action for another, emphasizing replacement.

contrary to pursuing

Highlights the unexpected or opposing nature of the chosen action.

bypassing the pursuit of

Suggests avoiding or circumventing a specific goal or action.

abandoning the pursuit of

Implies a deliberate decision to stop trying to achieve something.

forgoing the pursuit of

Indicates a voluntary decision to give up on a particular action or goal.

sidestepping the pursuit of

Implies avoiding a direct approach in favor of an alternative strategy.

eschewing the pursuit of

A formal way to express deliberately avoiding or abstaining from something.

FAQs

How can I use "instead of pursuing" in a sentence?

Use "instead of pursuing" to indicate a choice to take an alternative action. For example, "Instead of pursuing a medical degree, she became a teacher."

What can I say instead of "instead of pursuing"?

You can use alternatives like "rather than pursuing", "in lieu of pursuing", or "as opposed to pursuing" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "instead of pursuing" or "rather than pursuing"?

Both "instead of pursuing" and "rather than pursuing" are correct and largely interchangeable, though the former may imply a stronger sense of active choice.

What's the difference between "instead of pursuing" and "without pursuing"?

"Instead of pursuing" implies a conscious choice to take a different action. "Without pursuing" simply means that a particular action was not taken, without necessarily implying an alternative action was chosen.