instrument
noun
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Definition of instrument
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : a device used to produce music also : a singing voice
2a : a means whereby something is achieved, performed, or furthered
3 : implement especially : one designed for precision work
4 : a formal legal document (such as a deed, bond, or agreement)
5a : a measuring device for determining the present value of a quantity under observation
b : an electrical or mechanical device used in navigating an airplane especially : such a device used as the sole means of navigating
instrument
verb
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Definition of instrument (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : to address a legal instrument to
2 : to score for musical performance : orchestrate
3 : to equip with instruments especially for measuring and recording data
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Synonyms for instrument
Synonyms: Noun
agency, agent, instrumentality, machinery, means, medium, ministry, organ, vehicle
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Examples of instrument in a Sentence
Noun
an instrument designed to measure the Earth's atmosphere The piano was his favorite musical instrument. Do you play any instruments?
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Even in pianissimo passagework high up in his instrument, Bell emphasized beauty of tone and silken legato line. — Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, "CSO at Ravinia review: Marin Alsop poetically launches Bernstein tribute," 13 July 2018 Everybody is focused only on themselves, playing random music on their instruments. — Longreads, "Tennis vs. Tennis," 13 July 2018 Down on land, researchers had been registering signals of mysterious energetic particles on their instruments. — Sophia Chen, WIRED, "What's a Blazar? A Galactic Bakery for Cosmic Rays," 12 July 2018 The band, whose members range in age from 13 to 18 years old, stood in the aisle to play their instruments and sing a classic mariachi song. — Caitlin O'kane, CBS News, "Mariachi band surprises Southwest passengers with mid-flight performance," 11 July 2018 In 1956, Lou enlisted in the U.S. Air Force to play his instrument with the service’s premier band, based in Washington at what was then called Bolling Air Force Base. — John Kelly, Washington Post, "Hear that sound? It’s 150 accordionists celebrating the love of their instrument.," 11 July 2018 Where to watch: iTunes Yellow Submarine (1968) Much as children were scandalized that the Monkees didn’t (at first) play their own instruments, this kid-friendly intro-to-rock cartoon held a similar secret: Those aren’t the Beatles doing the voices. — Jordan Hoffman, New York Times, "Where to Stream the Best, and the Most Ridiculous, of the Beatles on Film," 9 July 2018 The damp musicians took up their instruments and began to play. — Crocker Stephenson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Better Angels: Tia Richardson's newest mural is one neighborhood's vision of better things to come," 5 July 2018 Bagpipers tried to keep rain from dripping into their instruments. — Zach Despart, Houston Chronicle, "Undaunted by downpours, Lindale Park holds July 4 parade," 4 July 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Unlike earthquake prediction — which in terms of short-term prediction is currently not feasible and may never be feasible on a short timescale — volcano prediction is feasible and is common if volcanoes are instrumented. — NBC News, "Volcano expert explains the science behind Kilauea's ongoing eruption," 23 May 2018 Bullerengue is a genre led mainly by elderly women, instrumented exclusively with artisan drums, and preserved through oral tradition. — Marjua Estevez, Billboard, "How Afro-Colombian Artist Magín Díaz Went From Anonymity to Latin Grammy-Nominated at 95 Years Old," 7 Nov. 2017 But however well-instrumented, machines can't intuit. — Bucky Mcmahon, Popular Mechanics, "What's it like to fly a plane into a hurricane like Irma? We climbed into a NOAA plane in 2016 and flew into the heart of Hurricane Matthew to find out.," 8 Sep. 2017 The plan is for the NFL, when the technology is ready, to offer mouth guards instrumented with such sensors to players to measure their impact response. — Barry Wilner, The Christian Science Monitor, "NFL dedicates large portion of $100 million pledge to neuroscience," 29 Aug. 2017 The plan is for the NFL, when the technology is ready, to offer mouth guards instrumented with such sensors to players to measure their impact response. — USA TODAY, "NFL making $40 million available for medical research," 29 Aug. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'instrument.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for instrument
instrument
noun
English Language Learners Definition of instrument
: a tool or device used for a particular purpose; especially : a tool or device designed to do careful and exact work
: a device that measures something (such as temperature or distance)
: a device that is used to make music
See the full definition for instrument in the English Language Learners Dictionary
instrument
noun
\
Kids Definition of instrument
1 : a tool or device for doing a particular kind of work a dentist's instruments
2 : a device used to produce music
3 : a way of getting something done Curiosity is an instrument of discovery.
4 : a legal document (as a deed)
5 : a device that measures something (as altitude or temperature)
instrument
noun
\
Medical Definition of instrument
: any implement, tool, or utensil (as for surgery)
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instrument
nounLegal Definition of instrument
1 : a means or implement by which something is achieved, performed, or furthered an instrument of crime
2 : a document (as a deed, will, bond, note, certificate of deposit, insurance policy, warrant, or writ) evidencing rights or duties especially of one party to another under the law a person is not liable on an instrument unless the person signed the instrument — Uniform Commercial Code an indictment is a form of charging instrument specifically : negotiable instrument
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