Meaning & use
instrumental
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Playing an important part in making something happen.
Grammar: Usually followed by in plus an -ing form or noun: instrumental in building the school.
Patterns
- instrumental in doing something
- instrumental in something
She was instrumental in getting the park built.
His advice was instrumental in my decision.
The new law was instrumental in reducing waste.
adjectivebefore a nounmusic
Played on musical instruments, with no singing.
Grammar: Usually before a noun: an instrumental piece.
The concert opened with a calm instrumental piece.
I like instrumental music when I study.
The band recorded an instrumental version of the song.
nouncountablemusic
A piece of music that has no vocals.
Grammar: Countable: an instrumental, two instrumentals.
The album ends with a quiet instrumental.
He wrote several instrumentals for films.
The radio played an instrumental between two news reports.
Word forms
| plural | instrumentals |
|---|
Common combinations
- instrumental in
- The nurse was instrumental in saving his life.
- play an instrumental role
- Teachers play an instrumental role in learning.
- instrumental music
- Instrumental music helps me focus.
- instrumental version
- The instrumental version has no lyrics.
- instrumental in bringing
- He was instrumental in bringing the team together.
Synonyms and how they differ
- crucial
- Crucial stresses that something is essential, while instrumental says someone or something helped cause the result.
- key
- Key is shorter and more casual, as in a key player, but instrumental links directly to causing an outcome.
- influential
- Influential means having great effect over time, whereas instrumental is about a specific result.
- wordless
- Wordless suits the music sense but is general, and only instrumental names the genre.
Opposites
Word family
- instrument noun
- a tool, or a device for making music
- instrumentalist noun
- a person who plays a musical instrument
- instrumentation noun
- the instruments used in a piece of music, or equipment
- instrumentally adverb
- by means of an instrument
Commonly confused: instrumental or instrumentality?
instrumental vs instrumentality
Instrumentality means the state of being a means to an end, and is a rare formal noun, unlike the common adjective instrumental.
Practice
The mayor was ___ in bringing the new hospital to the town.
Choose one answer.
Instrumental in means having a key role in making something happen. Vocal, related and casual do not take that meaning with in.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “instrumental”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.