instrumental

[ in-struh-men-tl ]

adjective

1. serving or acting as an instrument or means; useful; helpful.

   Synonyms: implemental, effective, effectual

2. performed on or written for a musical instrument or instruments:

   instrumental music.

3. of or relating to an instrument or tool.
4. Grammar.
   1. (in certain inflected languages, as Old English and Russian) noting or pertaining to a case having as its distinctive function the indication of means or agency, as Old English beseah blīthe andweitan “looked with a happy countenance.”
   2. noting the affix or other element characteristic of this case, or a word containing such an element.
   3. similar to such a case form in function or meaning, as the Latin instrumental ablative, gladiō, “by means of a sword.”
   4. (in case grammar) pertaining to the semantic role of a noun phrase that indicates the inanimate, nonvolitional, immediate cause of the action expressed by a verb, as the rock in The rock broke the window or in I broke the window with the rock.

noun

1. Grammar.
   1. the instrumental case.
   2. a word in the instrumental case.
   3. a construction of similar meaning.
2. a musical composition played by an instrument or a group of instruments. Compare vocal ( def 8 ).

instrumental

/ ˌɪnstrəˈmɛntəl /

adjective

1. serving as a means or influence; helpful
2. of, relating to, or characterized by an instrument or instruments
3. played by or composed for musical instruments
4. grammar denoting a case of nouns, etc, in certain inflected languages, indicating the instrument used in performing an action, usually translated into English using the prepositions with or by means of

noun

1. a piece of music composed for instruments rather than for voices
2. grammar
   1. the instrumental case
   2. a word or speech element in the instrumental case

Derived Forms

• ˌinstrumenˈtality, noun
• ˌinstruˈmentally, adverb

Other Words From

• instru·mental·ly adverb
• nonin·stru·mental adjective
• nonin·stru·mental·ly adverb
• unin·stru·mental adjective
• unin·stru·mental·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of instrumental¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Medieval Latin word instrūmentālis. See instrument, -al ¹

Example Sentences

Teenagers were instrumental in leading many of the racial justice protests across San Diego County over the summer.

From Voice of San Diego

Meanwhile, Kavadze adds, Georgia’s rich natural beauty will be more instrumental than ever.

From Ozy

Google My Business has been instrumental in driving customers to a local business.

From Search Engine Watch

What’s more, instrumental employees who analyze air samples from the sensitive equipment are on vacation.

From Voice of San Diego

Whatever the company’s formula, it seems it will be instrumental to making Elon Musk’s vision of a million-mile battery come true, and sooner rather than later.

From Singularity Hub 

You write quite a lot about your relationship with your mother and how she was instrumental in your success.

From The Daily Beast

Goebbels was also instrumental in the initial success Strauss had under the Nazis.

From The Daily Beast

The instrumental view of culture has it wrong, she argues, and should be replaced with what she calls an “expressive view.”

From The Daily Beast

And in 1939, the MOMA building opened that he was instrumental in designing and building.

From The Daily Beast

“It sounds like the kind of decision that a candidate and a campaign would be instrumental in shaping,” she said.

From The Daily Beast

The Duke of Tarentum was mainly instrumental in saving the remnants of the army which had managed to cross the Elster.

From Project Gutenberg

This discovery and invention has been largely instrumental in the rapid development of sound recording.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus, contributions to vocal music, instrumental music and musical forms have been made by natives and residents of Virginia.

From Project Gutenberg

If she had been instrumental in the death of Sir Herbert, surely this was just the way she would conduct herself.

From Project Gutenberg

His present rather ridiculous discomfort he had been at least instrumental in bringing on himself.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• involved