adj
Common
instrumental
ihnst-ruh-MEHN-tuhl
Instrumental (adj) means playing a key or essential role in making something happen. Example: “His advice was instrumental in helping me choose the right university.”
adj
1
Playing a key or essential role in making something happen.
"His advice was instrumental in helping me choose the right university."
"Local volunteers were instrumental in bringing the village hall back to life."
"She was instrumental in getting the project funded."
2
Involving or written for musical instruments rather than voice.
"We played an instrumental arrangement of the folk tune at the wedding."
"I prefer instrumental music when I'm studying because lyrics distract me."
"The album's closing track is a purely instrumental piece."
noun
1
A piece of music performed without vocals.
"The band recorded an instrumental to open their new album."
"I always skip the singing and play the instrumental when I'm cooking."
"The DJ dropped an instrumental version of the hit song."
How to use instrumental
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither "crucial to a result" or "made of instruments, with no singing."
Common pairings
instrumental in
instrumental music
play an instrumental
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Word forms
- Plural
- instrumentals
- Comparative
- more instrumental
- Superlative
- most instrumental
Fill the gap
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His advice was _____ in helping me choose the right university.
Etymology
Came into English as Middle English instrumental, instrumentale, from Medieval Latin īnstrūmentālis; it can also be analysed as instrument plus -al.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
vocal
noninstrumental
Related words
Rhymes for instrumental
mental
dental
rental
parental
Oriental
elemental
accidental
ornamental
judgmental
incidental
monumental
regimental
See all rhymes for instrumental →
Frequently asked questions
What does “instrumental” mean?
The word “instrumental” means playing a key or essential role in making something happen. In plain terms, either "crucial to a result" or "made of instruments, with no singing.".
How do you pronounce “instrumental”?
“Instrumental” is pronounced ihnst-ruh-MEHN-tuhl (/ɪnstɹəˈmɛntəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “instrumental” in a sentence?
Here is “instrumental” used in a sentence: “She was instrumental in getting the project funded.”
What is the opposite of “instrumental”?
The opposite of “instrumental” — its antonyms — is noninstrumental.
What part of speech is “instrumental”?
Depending on how it is used, “instrumental” can be an adjective and a noun.
Is “instrumental” a common word?
“Instrumental” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “instrumental” have?
“Instrumental” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: playing a key or essential role in making something happen.
What is the difference between instrumental and important?
Both suggest significance, but 'instrumental' specifically means playing an active, essential role in making something happen, while 'important' simply means having great value. Someone instrumental in a project actually helped cause its success.
What prepositions are used with instrumental?
When it means playing a key role, 'instrumental' is followed by 'in', as in 'instrumental in launching the project'. The form 'instrumental to' is far less common and usually sounds unnatural.
What is the difference between an instrumental and a cappella?
An 'instrumental' is a piece of music performed with instruments but no vocals, while 'a cappella' is singing performed with no instruments at all. They are opposites in terms of which element is left out.
What is the difference between instrumental and vocal music?
Instrumental music is written for or performed on instruments, while vocal music features the human voice singing. A song with lyrics is vocal; a backing track with the singing removed is an instrumental.
Featured in
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