Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
Definitions

instrument

[in-struh-muhnt] / ˈɪn strə mənt /




Usage

What are other ways to say instrument? An instrument is anything used in doing a certain type of work or producing a certain result, especially such as requires delicacy, accuracy, or precision: surgical or musical instruments. A tool is a contrivance held in and worked by the hand, for assisting the work of (especially) mechanics or skilled laborers: a carpenter's tools. An implement is any tool or contrivance designed or used for a particular purpose: agricultural implements. A utensil is especially an article for domestic use: kitchen utensils. 

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

"We should not treat AI as a threat to good jobs. We should use it as an instrument to create them," he said.

From Barron's Jul. 15, 2026

Built using proven hardware, the instrument relies on a compact silicon detector to measure the energy carried by incoming space radiation.

From Science Daily Jul. 14, 2026

The initiative was inspired by Ed Sheeran's charity, which has funded similar schemes in libraries and youth centres, as well as offering instrument loans to aspiring musicians.

From BBC Jul. 13, 2026

Towards the end of the night, just before a closer with the Faces’ “Ooh La La,” Murray brought out a one-of-a-kind instrument for a big flourish.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 11, 2026

Fred the Shark was making a pattern, slightly irregular, like a kid learning to play an instrument.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

Musically and vocally gifted, they wring harmonies and beats from an assortment of instruments, mixing genres and styles with an eloquence that surpasses the exposition sprinkled into the lyrics.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 15, 2026

They also used instruments that measured CO2 levels in tree canopies every hour and sensors attached to tree trunks that tracked tiny changes in trunk size throughout the day.

From Science Daily Jul. 9, 2026

They can align government, industry and society toward a single technological objective through instruments that are unavailable and undesirable in a democracy.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 9, 2026

Under the plans, it will run for fewer hours, some of its instruments will shut, and its muon experiments will close altogether.

From BBC Jul. 9, 2026

“Everybody knows Sounds are the best. They're always super chill and relaxed. Have the best lounge with all the instruments in it,” one said.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

Because of these risks, the landslide area has been extensively instrumented since 2020.

From Science Daily Dec. 21, 2025

We're the only sport that has done this type of work with instrumented mouthguards.

From BBC Sep. 16, 2022

Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands, a U.S. naval facility, is the world's largest instrumented, "multi-dimensional" testing and training missile range, according to the U.S.

From Fox News Feb. 22, 2022

“We’ve got bad-actor volcanoes that aren’t optimally instrumented to the level that they should be,” he said.

From Washington Post Jan. 15, 2020

We are unlikely to determine the answer to this question without landing instrumented space vehicles on the Titanian surface.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

“We are instrumenting the car in a way that is overloading the driver just like we were overloading the helicopter pilots,” said Strayer, director of the university’s Center for the Prevention of Distracted Driving.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 6, 2022

This can be a result of budgetary constraints, the difficulty of instrumenting treacherous volcanoes and, in some cases, red tape preventing the placement of sensors in wilderness areas.

From New York Times Nov. 9, 2021

“And we need to rethink what this instrumenting of the world — all that data being generated and collected — means for privacy and how all this data is used.”

From New York Times Aug. 4, 2015

Yet little has been done to probe the underlying crust and mantle, mainly because instrumenting the entire state is so expensive.

From Scientific American Nov. 5, 2013

Niels and I get to work carefully instrumenting the sleep logger and attaching it to the bird.

From New York Times Apr. 15, 2011




Vocabulary lists containing instrument


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training