instrumentalism

noun

in·​stru·​men·​tal·​ism ˌin(t)-strə-ˈmen-tᵊl-ˌi-zəm How to pronounce instrumentalism (audio)
: a doctrine that ideas are instruments of action and that their usefulness determines their truth

Examples of instrumentalism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Doubtless not a few of them harbor a special disdain for American Evangelicalism, with its gaudy, prosperous instrumentalism. James Wood, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2020 There's nothing particularly quantum-mechanical about instrumentalism. Sean Carroll, Discover Magazine, 18 Nov. 2011

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of instrumentalism was in 1904

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Instrumentalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instrumentalism. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on instrumentalism

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!