Meaning & use
installments or instalments
Last updated
“installments or instalments” is a form of “installment or instalment”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
Several regular payments made over time for something you buy or owe.
Grammar: Plural noun; usually used after in or with a number: in six installments.
Patterns
- pay in installments
- make installments
- monthly installments
They are paying for the house in monthly installments.
He made three installments before the deadline.
The loan is repaid in equal installments over five years.
nounplural
The separate parts of a story, series, or program published or shown one after another.
Grammar: Plural noun; often followed by of: the installments of the story.
Patterns
- the installments of something
- publish something in installments
- weekly installments
The novel first appeared in weekly installments in a magazine.
Fans discussed each of the installments online.
The last two installments were the most exciting.
Common combinations
- monthly installments
- She pays monthly installments on her student loan.
- equal installments
- The debt was split into equal installments.
- in weekly installments
- The story was published in weekly installments.
- pay in installments
- Many customers prefer to pay in installments.
Synonyms and how they differ
- payments
- Payments is the general term; installments stresses that the payments are spread over time.
- episodes
- Episodes works for TV or radio; installments also covers books and money.
Word family
- installment noun
- One single payment or one part of a series.
Commonly confused: installments or instalments or installations?
installments or instalments vs installations
Installations means pieces of equipment that have been set up, not payments.
Practice
Which sentence is correct?
Choose one answer.
'In monthly installments' is the standard phrase for parts published over time. The other options either use the wrong word or the wrong singular/plural form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “installments or instalments”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.