instrumentalist
noun
in·stru·men·tal·ist
ˌin(t)-strə-ˈmen-tᵊl-ist 
1
: a player on a musical instrument
2
: an exponent of instrumentalism
instrumentalist
adjective
Examples of instrumentalist in a Sentence
he excels as a conductor, a composer, and as an instrumentalist
Recent Examples on the Web
Producers can skip the studio to work on their devices at home, commissioning instrumentalists and beat makers who live time zones away.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 5 May 2025
Shortly after the Stones was founded in 1962 by Jagger and Richards, alongside instrumentalist Brian Jones, bassist Bill Wyman, and drummer Charlie Watts, the band began to skyrocket to fame.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2025
Produced by Dan Auerbach for his Easy Eye Sound label, the record represented yet another moment, in a career full of them, of Yola feeling creatively stifled, as though her full range of artistry — as a singer, arranger, producer, and instrumentalist — was sidelined.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2025
In the 19th century, by contrast, the best way to widely disseminate a piece of music was to write it down; many music lovers in the emerging middle class had at least basic proficiency as singers or instrumentalists.
—Matthew Aucoin, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instrumentalist
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 5 May 2025
Shortly after the Stones was founded in 1962 by Jagger and Richards, alongside instrumentalist Brian Jones, bassist Bill Wyman, and drummer Charlie Watts, the band began to skyrocket to fame.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2025
Produced by Dan Auerbach for his Easy Eye Sound label, the record represented yet another moment, in a career full of them, of Yola feeling creatively stifled, as though her full range of artistry — as a singer, arranger, producer, and instrumentalist — was sidelined.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2025
In the 19th century, by contrast, the best way to widely disseminate a piece of music was to write it down; many music lovers in the emerging middle class had at least basic proficiency as singers or instrumentalists.
—Matthew Aucoin, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instrumentalist
Cite this Entry
“Instrumentalist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instrumentalist. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
instrumentalist
noun
in·stru·men·tal·ist
ˌin(t)-strə-ˈment-ᵊl-əst
: a person who plays a musical instrument
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share