as in means
something used to achieve an end
computer literacy is only an instrumentality for acquiring an education, and not an end in itself
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 instrumentality
But the instrumentality of so many of his characters seems to have reached a nadir in The City and Its Uncertain Walls.
—
Bailey Trela, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
Moore said Tuesday, after the meeting, that the city controlling the budget would not be a legal conflict of interest, as the PAB is an instrumentality of Baltimore City.
—Darcy Costello, Baltimore Sun, 7 Feb. 2024
To effect these seizures, the FBI will simultaneously issue commands that will interfere with the hackers’ control over the instrumentalities of their crimes (the Target Devices), including by preventing the hackers from easily re-infecting the Target Devices with KV Botnet malware.
a.
—Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 31 Jan. 2024
The common thread here is a blatant, self-serving instrumentality incapable of distinguishing between the desire for order and the desire for domination, between the good of all and one’s own good.
—Jack Butler, National Review, 31 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for instrumentality
Bailey Trela, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
Moore said Tuesday, after the meeting, that the city controlling the budget would not be a legal conflict of interest, as the PAB is an instrumentality of Baltimore City.
—Darcy Costello, Baltimore Sun, 7 Feb. 2024
To effect these seizures, the FBI will simultaneously issue commands that will interfere with the hackers’ control over the instrumentalities of their crimes (the Target Devices), including by preventing the hackers from easily re-infecting the Target Devices with KV Botnet malware.
a.
—Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 31 Jan. 2024
The common thread here is a blatant, self-serving instrumentality incapable of distinguishing between the desire for order and the desire for domination, between the good of all and one’s own good.
—Jack Butler, National Review, 31 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for instrumentality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instrumentality
Noun
-
That position of strength means, in the local media, the messaging can often be shaped to the club’s advantage.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Flax is known to promote good digestive health and prevent constipation, thanks to plenty of insoluble fiber and soluble fiber (both of which facilitate digestion and regular bowel movements through slightly different means).—
Christina Chaey,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Picture a night in Ibiza where melodies provide the ecstasy and the instrument is Twigs’ multifaceted voice, defying register in shifting from a whispery soprano to guttural pulses in the most surprising of ways.—
Shirley Halperin,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
-
In the Montes de María, where additional Indigenous groups lived, small statuettes of human figures with instruments resembling gaitas (Indigenous flutes) - also known as chuanas - have been found.—
Karla Gachet,
NPR,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Federal immigration agents carried out a weeklong enforcement campaign across central Florida that led to the arrest of more than 400 migrants without legal status, officials say.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
His plan is to pose as a Fish & Wildlife agent, there to question Catalina’s husband about poaching … and then what?—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Vehicle owners are advised to park the vehicle outside and away from any structures and other vehicles until the recall is fixed.—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Early on, his department sent drones skyward to see how the store was managing incoming vehicles.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Trump this week announced new probes into personal protective equipment, medical items, robotics and industrial machinery.—
Reuters,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Its unmatched hardness makes tungsten carbide essential for drill bits, cutting tools, and mining machinery that endure heavy wear.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
After the disappointing finish to his team's season, Alonso declared his intent to opt out of the second year of his contract and re-enter free agency from the Marlins' visiting clubhouse.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
-
The first wave of Social Security payments for the month of October is set to be sent to recipients this week, the first such disbursements under the agency's new paperless policy.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Blood is always poised and ready to clot, because the body sees this as a life-saving mechanism.—
Bryant Stamford,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Connecting with others who share your struggle is one way to deal with the very real mental health side effects while also learning about other treatments and coping mechanisms that can help make your journey a little easier.—
Maggie Ryan,
Flow Space,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Convenient scapegoat The council is widely considered unreformable because neither America nor Russia and China would ever contemplate giving up the veto privilege that gums up what could be an international peacekeeping organ.—
Andreas Kluth,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The council is widely considered unreformable because neither America nor Russia and China would ever contemplate giving up the veto privilege that gums up what could be an international peacekeeping organ.—
Andreas Kluth,
Twin Cities,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instrumentality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instrumentality. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share