instrumentalist
noun
in·stru·men·tal·ist
ˌin(t)-strə-ˈmen-tᵊl-ist 
1
: a player on a musical instrument
2
: an exponent of instrumentalism
instrumentalist
adjective
Examples of instrumentalist in a Sentence
he excels as a conductor, a composer, and as an instrumentalist
Recent Examples on the Web
Coleman’s harmolodic theory — in which melody, harmony and rhythm are each treated as equal components to be performed simultaneously by each instrumentalist in a group — had a profound effect on Ulmer.
—
George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026
On Saturday there were nearly 400 student instrumentalists and vocalists one time or another on stage at Disney, members of a large symphony orchestra, a concert orchestra, a big band, a mariachi ensemble and the Titan Banda Oaxaquena.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
Asake’s last live outing in North America was his Red Bull Symphonic concert, which transformed many of his fan favorites into reworked orchestral versions backed by classical instrumentalists and Nigerian talking drummers alike.
—Emanuel Okusanya, Variety, 26 May 2026
It would later be covered by Connie Francis, Peggy Lee, and instrumentalist Joe Harnell.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for instrumentalist
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026
On Saturday there were nearly 400 student instrumentalists and vocalists one time or another on stage at Disney, members of a large symphony orchestra, a concert orchestra, a big band, a mariachi ensemble and the Titan Banda Oaxaquena.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
Asake’s last live outing in North America was his Red Bull Symphonic concert, which transformed many of his fan favorites into reworked orchestral versions backed by classical instrumentalists and Nigerian talking drummers alike.
—Emanuel Okusanya, Variety, 26 May 2026
It would later be covered by Connie Francis, Peggy Lee, and instrumentalist Joe Harnell.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for instrumentalist
Cite this Entry
“Instrumentalist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instrumentalist. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
instrumentalist
noun
in·stru·men·tal·ist
ˌin(t)-strə-ˈment-ᵊl-əst
: a person who plays a musical instrument
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
