Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun instance

2 senses of instance

Sense 1
case, instance, example -- (an occurrence of something; "it was a case of bad judgment"; "another instance occurred yesterday"; "but there is always the famous example of the Smiths")
       => happening, occurrence, occurrent, natural event -- (an event that happens)

Sense 2
example, illustration, instance, representative -- (an item of information that is typical of a class or group; "this patient provides a typical example of the syndrome"; "there is an example on page 10")
       => information -- (knowledge acquired through study or experience or instruction)

Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb instance

1 sense of instance

Sense 1
exemplify, illustrate, instance -- (clarify by giving an example of)
       => elaborate, lucubrate, expatiate, exposit, enlarge, flesh out, expand, expound, dilate -- (add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing; "She elaborated on the main ideas in her dissertation")