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Definitions

instrument

[in-struh-muhnt] / ˈɪn strə mənt /
NOUN
tool, implement
Synonyms
STRONGEST
apparatus appliance device equipment gadget gear gizmo machine machinery mechanism
STRONG
contraption contrivance doodad paraphernalia tackle utensil
Antonyms
WEAK
end
NOUN
means, agent
Synonyms
STRONGEST
material mechanism medium organ vehicle
STRONG
agency channel factor force instrumentality ministry wherewithal
Antonyms
WEAK
end

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.

Trusts have always been seen as a specialty instrument, so it’s no surprise that the number of people who report having a trust in place is much lower than those who have a will.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

The team used a nitrate chemical ionization mass spectrometer, a sensitive instrument that can identify specific compounds in the air.

From Science Daily • Apr. 11, 2026

The most affecting moment came not from any instrument, but from the crew.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Artemis 2 astronaut Victor Glover, who pilots the Orion spacecraft, said before liftoff this week that eyes were a "magical instrument."

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

When the prolonged shaking knocked out power lines, backup generators clicked on to run the plant’s instrument panels and keep critical coolant moving through the reactors.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

Vocabulary lists containing instrument

Macbeth's "Is this a dagger..." soliloquy

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List 3

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John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961

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