instrumental

adjective

in·​stru·​men·​tal ˌin(t)-strə-ˈmen-tᵊl 

1

a

: serving as a crucial means, agent, or tool

was instrumental in organizing the strike

b

: of, relating to, or done with an instrument or tool

2

: relating to, composed for, or performed on a musical instrument

3

: of, relating to, or being a grammatical case or form expressing means or agency

4

: of or relating to instrumentalism

5

: operant sense 3

instrumental learning

instrumental conditioning

instrumental noun

instrumentally

ˌin(t)-strə-ˈmen-tᵊl-ē 

adverb

Did you know?

An instrument is a tool, something used to construct. It's often a tool for making music. A musical saw happens to be a carpenter's tool that can be played with a violin bow (though you probably wouldn't want to play a wrench or a pair of pliers). The musical meanings of instrumental, as in "It starts with an instrumental piece" or "a jazz instrumental", are common. But the meanings "helpful", "useful", and "essential", as in "He was instrumental in getting my book published", are just as common.

Examples of instrumental in a Sentence

They played instrumental music at the wedding.

an instrumental version of a song

Recent Examples on the Web

The Drive to Survive series has been instrumental in elevating Formula One's profile in the U.S. and bringing in a new wave of fans. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025

Republicans toned down attacks on the agency, particularly after CISA was instrumental in revealing a widespread Chinese espionage campaign targeting U.S. telecoms that directly impacted Trump and Vice President JD Vance. —Jenna McLaughlin, NPR, 11 Feb. 2025

Dyment was instrumental in fundraising for the construction of new buildings, including a state-of-the-art nursery and an event space, which was recently expanded to include an outdoor patio. —Lou Ponsi, Orange County Register, 11 Feb. 2025

Fred Milstein’s leadership has been instrumental in developing innovative solutions for filmmakers, and I’m honored to join his exceptional team. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

instrumental

adjective

in·​stru·​men·​tal ˌin(t)-strə-ˈment-ᵊl 

1

a

: acting as an instrument or means

was instrumental in organizing the club

b

: of, relating to, or done with an instrument

instrumental error

2

: relating to, composed for, or performed on a musical instrument

an unusual instrumental arrangement

instrumentally

-ᵊl-ē 

adverb

Medical Definition

instrumental

adjective

in·​stru·​men·​tal ˌin(t)-strə-ˈment-ᵊl 

: operant

instrumental learning

instrumental conditioning