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REFERENCE

instrumental

adj. · n.
US //ˌɪnstɹəˈmɛnəɫ// UK //ˌɪnstɹəmˈɛntəl// in·stru·men·tal
  1. 1 essential or helpful (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    to be very important in helping something to happen.

    serving as a crucial means, agent, or medium in achieving a specific result or objective.

    Example

    She was instrumental in helping the company win the new contract.

    Example

    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.
  2. 2 music without singing (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Music

    music that is played only by instruments, without any people singing.

    pertaining to, composed for, or performed by musical instruments rather than the human voice.

    Example

    The album includes several instrumental tracks that are great for studying.

    Example

    The composer decided to remove the lyrics, transforming the ballad into a purely instrumental piece for the cello and piano.
    • non vocal
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  1. 3 grammar case (adj.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    related to a grammar form that shows how something is done or what tool is used.

    relating to a grammatical case that expresses means, agency, or the instrument used to perform an action.

    Example

    In some languages, you use the instrumental case to say you are writing with a pen.

    Example

    The student struggled to distinguish between the dative and instrumental endings when translating the ancient text.

    Teacher's 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.

  2. 4 a song without words (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Music

    a piece of music that has no singing.

    a musical composition or recording intended to be performed without vocal accompaniment.

    Example

    The radio played an instrumental of the hit song while the news was starting.

    Example

    The B-side of the single featured a jazz instrumental that showcased the lead guitarist's technical proficiency.
Origin

From Middle English instrumental, instrumentale, from Medieval Latin īnstrūmentālis, equivalent to instrument + -al.

Word family

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