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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 DSRB’s AAA-rated bonds would be precisely the kind of high-quality, euro-denominated instrument that a deeper European capital market could absorb.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 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

Jane Remover’s “Revengeseekerz” turns redlining into an instrument onto itself.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

The cowbell, for example, is an instrument that has another purpose besides its musical one.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

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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