Word
instrumental
Phoneticsin·stru·men·tal, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌɪnstɹəˈmɛnəɫ/
UK/ˌɪnstɹəmˈɛntəl/
Definitions
01essential or helpful
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
adj. to be very important in helping something to happen.
adj. serving as a crucial means, agent, or medium in achieving a specific result or objective.
“She was instrumental in helping the company win the new contract.”
“The diplomat was instrumental in brokering the peace treaty, spending months mediating between the two opposing factions.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'in' followed by a gerund or noun phrase.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02music without singing
B1 · Intermediate Music
adj. music that is played only by instruments, without any people singing.
adj. pertaining to, composed for, or performed by musical instruments rather than the human voice.
“The album includes several instrumental tracks that are great for studying.”
“The composer decided to remove the lyrics, transforming the ballad into a purely instrumental piece for the cello and piano.”
Synonyms
03grammar case
C2 · Proficiency Science Technical
adj. related to a grammar form that shows how something is done or what tool is used.
adj. relating to a grammatical case that expresses means, agency, or the instrument used to perform an action.
“In some languages, you use the instrumental case to say you are writing with a pen.”
“The student struggled to distinguish between the dative and instrumental endings when translating the ancient text.”
Teaching tip
This is a highly technical term used in linguistics; most general learners will only encounter it if studying inflected languages like Russian or Latin.
04a song without words
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Music
n. a piece of music that has no singing.
n. a musical composition or recording intended to be performed without vocal accompaniment.
“The radio played an instrumental of the hit song while the news was starting.”
“The B-side of the single featured a jazz instrumental that showcased the lead guitarist's technical proficiency.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “instrumental” in context.
Verb
01. prove instrumental in the success
“Her networking skills proved instrumental in the success of the startup.”
verb + adj + prep + noun
02. remain instrumental in the process
“The local community leaders remain instrumental in the peace process.”
verb + adj + prep + noun
Adjective
03. highly instrumental
“His early research was highly instrumental in the development of the vaccine.”
adv + adj
04. instrumental in securing the deal
“The lead negotiator was instrumental in securing the deal before the deadline.”
adj + prep + noun
05. instrumental version
“The B-side of the single features an instrumental version of the title track.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. instrumental accompaniment
“The singer performed the ballad with a simple instrumental accompaniment.”
adj + noun
07. instrumental role in the project
“She played an instrumental role in the project from its inception.”
adj + noun + prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Photograph: sjvinyl/Alamy For Twist in My Sobriety, Pete created a definitive drum part and I had a ball coming up with the instrumental sections.” “Harmonia Mundi’s recording is strikingly immediate, revealing plenty of instrumental detail without stinting the music’s sonic amplitude.” Etymology
From Middle English instrumental, instrumentale, from Medieval Latin īnstrūmentālis, equivalent to instrument + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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