1
as in certificate
a written or printed paper giving information about or proof of something
a valid will is a legal instrument
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in tool
an article intended for use in work
always choose the right instrument for any woodworking job
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in instrumentality
something used to achieve an end
he sees scouting as an instrument for building character in young people
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in pawn
one that is or can be used to further the purposes of another
the claim that the scientists are mere instruments of the tobacco companies, who pay them to produce findings that are highly suspect
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of instrument
Its core instrument, the Infrared Sounder, collects temperature profiles and humidity profiles.
—
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
His worst deed was to destroy USAID, the Agency for International Development, which had been our main civilian instrument for fostering survival, hope and democracy in foreign lands.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 May 2026
But Amish church music is almost always group singing only, without instruments or soloists.
—ABC News, 1 May 2026
Multiple issues, including failure of some instruments and decreasing visibility conditions, occurred in the minutes leading up to the crash, a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board said.
—Joe Marusak
may 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for instrument
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
His worst deed was to destroy USAID, the Agency for International Development, which had been our main civilian instrument for fostering survival, hope and democracy in foreign lands.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 May 2026
But Amish church music is almost always group singing only, without instruments or soloists.
—ABC News, 1 May 2026
Multiple issues, including failure of some instruments and decreasing visibility conditions, occurred in the minutes leading up to the crash, a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board said.
—Joe Marusak
may 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for instrument
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instrument
Noun
-
Award recipients received a commemorative pin, a certificate of recognition and $250.—
Sharon Hlapcich,
Oc Register,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Eldan said his group is working with several other states, including California and New Mexico, to get laws passed to provide similar innocence certificates and update exonerees' criminal records.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After Anthropic’s success in attracting business users, OpenAI is beefing up its Codex coding agent and other work tools.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
State leaders should look beyond land use and taxation as tools for lowering prices.—
Maxwell Harden,
Sun Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
They are left wielding the tools of instrumentality: in-groups and cliques, buying effort through more money, coercive employment agreements and suits against whistleblowers.—
Dave Winsborough,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
-
Holding the weight of cotton’s influence on the world, and thus the instrumentality of Black labor, is painful, yet necessary work.—
Cierra Black,
Essence,
9 July 2025
Noun
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They were outcoached, David Adelman playing the role of a pawn in Chris Finch’s weeklong chess game.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
1 May 2026
-
In the lawsuit’s version of things, the Roys Report was a pawn used by Waterland to spread a false rape story and fatally undermine all of Campbell’s businesses.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This is one of the missions originally awarded to United Launch Alliance under the NSSL Phase 2 contracts, but shifted to SpaceX after delays in ULA’s Vulcan certification.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Global Standard’s annual survey found that 59 percent of survey respondents reported that the GOTS certification offered them an increase in business opportunities in 2025.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Sometimes the batteries on the trackers would run low, and McGovern’s team would need to remove and recharge the devices, before surreptitiously replacing them.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Be sure to use the slider at the bottom of the page if their answers don’t fit the screen on your device.—
Mark Dee
April 29,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The sudden cancellations effectively stranded hundreds of travelers, who were left scrambling for alternative means of transportation.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 May 2026
-
Implementing mass timber at scale means navigating property lines and managing infrastructure boundaries between private owners.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
4 May 2026
Noun
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Law enforcement officers were attempting to negotiate with the suspect to exit the vehicle.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
Russia’s ability to produce the drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), en masse meant Moscow could cut Ukrainian supply lines with drone attacks well behind the front lines.—
Charbel Mallo,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instrument.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instrument. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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