instead of sending

USAGE SUMMARY

"instead of sending" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to state that you are going to do one thing instead of another. Example sentence: "I decided to drive to the store instead of sending someone else."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"But, instead of sending messages, they were sending code".

The New Yorker

Bring a instructor to campus instead of sending your staff to their location?

Cornell University

But the Hyatt took another tack: using a vertical evacuation instead of sending guests upland.

The New York Times

Instead of sending letters, for example, characters might text one another.

The New York Times

Instead of sending its hero abroad, as so many Indian films do, it brings him home.

The New York Times

Insurers have the option of directly reducing future premiums instead of sending out rebates.

The New York Times - Health

"We'll be investing in the Midwest instead of sending money to the Middle East," he said.

The New York Times

So instead of sending it to the landfill, let's use it".

The New York Times

Instead of sending out mass mailings, workers post messages or collaborate on presentations within the service.

The New York Times - Tech

Instead of sending three of its five rescue units, for example, it may send only two.

The New York Times

Instead of sending doctors from afar, the government should train local nurses to become midlevel practitioners.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When offering an alternative, ensure that the substitute action is clearly defined and contextually appropriate. For instance, "Instead of sending an email, consider calling for a more immediate response."

Common error

Avoid redundant prepositions. Saying "Instead of sending it to..." is often unnecessary; "Instead of sending..." is usually more concise and grammatically sound.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "instead of sending" functions as a prepositional phrase introducing an alternative action. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, and its examples demonstrate its role in presenting contrasting choices.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Science

19%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Academia

6%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "instead of sending" is a grammatically sound and widely used phrase to introduce alternative actions. As supported by Ludwig AI's analysis, this phrase is common in News & Media, Science, Formal & Business, Academia and Wiki. When using "instead of sending", ensure the alternative action is clearly defined and contextually appropriate. Be mindful of avoiding redundant prepositions such as "to" when not needed. This phrase offers a versatile way to suggest different approaches across various communication settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rather than dispatching

Replaces "instead of sending" with a more formal synonym for sending, emphasizing a preference.

instead of conveying

Focuses on the act of communicating or transferring information, providing a broader alternative.

in lieu of mailing

Substitutes "sending" with "mailing", which is suitable when referring to physical items sent via postal service.

rather than delivering

Uses "delivering" as a substitute for sending, which suits contexts involving physical objects.

as opposed to forwarding

Emphasizes a contrast between two actions, particularly useful in business or technical contexts.

in preference to shipping

Presents "shipping" as the action being replaced, appropriate for scenarios involving goods or cargo.

in place of transmitting

Offers a more technical alternative to sending, suitable for data or electronic communications.

as a substitute for posting

Replaces "sending" with "posting", which is relevant in social media or traditional mailing contexts.

alternatively to routing

Replaces "sending" with "routing", specifically when discussing network traffic or distribution paths.

instead of consigning

Uses "consigning" to replace sending, which is used in a business context when goods are delivered to another party to sell.

FAQs

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

You can use "instead of sending" to suggest an alternative action to sending something. For example, "Instead of sending a letter, I decided to call her."

What are some alternatives to "instead of sending"?

You can use phrases like "rather than dispatching", "in lieu of mailing", or "as opposed to forwarding" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "instead of sending to"?

While not grammatically incorrect, it is often more concise and clear to simply say "instead of sending". The "to" is often redundant unless specifying a recipient isn't clear from context.

What's the difference between "instead of sending" and "rather than sending"?

The phrases "instead of sending" and "rather than sending" are largely interchangeable and have very similar meanings. Both are used to express a preference for one action over the act of sending.