as in musician
a person who plays a musical instrument
he excels as a conductor, a composer, and as an instrumentalist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of instrumentalist
The nonprofit's competitions are open to junior, intermediate and advanced levels for instrumentalists, vocalists, duets and chamber ensembles.
—
Beth Reese Cravey, Florida Times-Union, 20 Jan. 2026
Since Chuck Berry’s first hits, rock’s most famous instrumentalists have been lead guitarists, who step out in front of the band with flashy solos.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2025
Jeff Buckley initially focused all his energy on guitar, becoming an acclaimed instrumentalist.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 5 Dec. 2025
British music producer and instrumentalist Dave Ball, best known as one half of the pioneering synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has died.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instrumentalist
Beth Reese Cravey, Florida Times-Union, 20 Jan. 2026
Since Chuck Berry’s first hits, rock’s most famous instrumentalists have been lead guitarists, who step out in front of the band with flashy solos.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2025
Jeff Buckley initially focused all his energy on guitar, becoming an acclaimed instrumentalist.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 5 Dec. 2025
British music producer and instrumentalist Dave Ball, best known as one half of the pioneering synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has died.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instrumentalist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instrumentalist
Noun
-
His band has expanded, with horns, dancers, back-up singers, and — for some songs—a string section, with nearly 20 musicians onstage.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
17 May 2026
-
The musician, who is the Charley Pride Honoree at this year’s ACM Awards, was styled by Stephani Jacobson (@stephanijstyle) for the occasion.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
For the cover of the May 25, 2026, issue, the artist Kadir Nelson decided to paint a tribute to the city’s budding artists.—
Françoise Mouly,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
The question turned into an accidental personality test, exposing some of each artist’s values.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Coherent was a top performer in the S & P 500, rising 6%.—
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
-
The Colombian superstar will receive the International Artist Award of Excellence and take the stage as a performer at the 52nd American Music Awards later this month, CBS and Dick Clark Productions announced on Wednesday.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instrumentalist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instrumentalist. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
