1
as in certificate
a written or printed paper giving information about or proof of something
a valid will is a legal instrument
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2
as in tool
an article intended for use in work
always choose the right instrument for any woodworking job
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3
as in instrumentality
something used to achieve an end
he sees scouting as an instrument for building character in young people
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4
as in pawn
one that is or can be used to further the purposes of another
the claim that the scientists are mere instruments of the tobacco companies, who pay them to produce findings that are highly suspect
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Recent Examples of instrument
Both genres are a fusion of European polkas (Czech and German) and Mexican rancheras that use the same instruments (the accordion, the bajo sexto and a drum kit), were developed in the same borderland region and are sung in Spanish.
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Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
Later, the cathedral’s grand organ – France’s largest instrument complete with its 8,000 pipes and five keyboards – was played once more.
—Joshua Berlinger, CNN, 7 Dec. 2024
Unintentional shootings boil down to the instrument: the gun.
—John Diedrich, Journal Sentinel, 5 Dec. 2024
The largest and most powerful space telescope ever built, Webb's infrared instruments are capable of seeing objects so distant, the light from them takes up to 13.5 billion years to reach us, effectively providing a window back into the infancy of the universe.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for instrument 
Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
Later, the cathedral’s grand organ – France’s largest instrument complete with its 8,000 pipes and five keyboards – was played once more.
—Joshua Berlinger, CNN, 7 Dec. 2024
Unintentional shootings boil down to the instrument: the gun.
—John Diedrich, Journal Sentinel, 5 Dec. 2024
The largest and most powerful space telescope ever built, Webb's infrared instruments are capable of seeing objects so distant, the light from them takes up to 13.5 billion years to reach us, effectively providing a window back into the infancy of the universe.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for instrument
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instrument
Noun
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Chesebro allegedly orchestrated the plan to file the fake elector certificates, and Troupis, Trump’s attorney in Wisconsin, is accused of assisting him in organizing the fake electors.Andi Shae Napier, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 10 Dec. 2024
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Many prospective undergraduates pursue continuing education via trade and vocational schools, certificate programs, career boot camps, internships and volunteer work to gain essential skills.Allie Danziger, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Training programs for managers and employees can help equip them with the tools to diffuse tensions, mediate conflicts, and maintain a focus on collaboration as discussed by Costigan & Brink in their Sloan MIT Article .Melanie Hughes, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
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Unfortunately, Andrews notes, funding has been progressively cut for developing and maintaining tools such as asteroid-detecting observatories.Joe Spring, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
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But the instrumentality of so many of his characters seems to have reached a nadir in The City and Its Uncertain Walls.Bailey Trela, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
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This dilemma can be solved in only one way, by the birth of a new faith, adjusted in its instrumentalities to the needs of the new century, but preserving the ultimate objectives of the old.Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2011
Noun
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Frankly, the Niners have a lot of pawns on the board right now.Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 11 Dec. 2024
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Who was the chess master, making each move with precision, making the right gambit, using his pawns, and waiting for the right moment to attack, and then simply calling checkmate?Dan Freedman, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The state requires drone pilots to get a certification and follows federal guidelines around the acceptable use of drones.Stephen Pastis, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
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The best way to know your lights are energy efficient is to look for the ENERGY STAR® certification on the packaging or plug.Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
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On average, each home has around 17 smart devices, and many people own electric vehicles.Ken Silverstein, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
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The problem comes in when one user has an iPhone and the other has an Android device or if there is a group chat with both kinds of users.Ken Colburn, The Arizona Republic, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Images uploaded to social media showed at least three vehicles on their hood or side, with their windshields smashed and trees and power lines on the ground.CBS News, CBS News, 15 Dec. 2024
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The vehicles, repaired and donated by professionals in the collision repair industry, offer a vital means of transportation to families who might otherwise struggle to afford reliable cars.Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024
Noun
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His plan was nearly foiled by Canadian border patrol agents who were suspicious of his not having a driver's license, which had been ditched in his wallet in the lake.David K. Li, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
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The money is earmarked for further investment in the technology underpinning the platform – including features such as artificial intelligence agents that support sellers – and to put staff on the ground in its biggest markets, such as the US and the Middle East.David Prosser, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Instrument.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instrument. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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