instruments

Definition of instrumentsnext
plural of instrument
1
as in certificates
a written or printed paper giving information about or proof of something a valid will is a legal instrument

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
3
4
as in tools
one that is or can be used to further the purposes of another the claim that the scientists are mere instruments of the tobacco companies, who pay them to produce findings that are highly suspect

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 instruments On this episode, Vlad returns to talk about where things stand, and all of the company's new efforts to give retail traders even more instruments to use. Joe Weisenthal, Bloomberg, 9 Mar. 2026 Money raised goes to scholarships, student services, and equipment, instruments, and technology. Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026 Strategy is about matching the instruments of national power—and especially military force—to the goals of national policy. Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2026 Here, the instruments appear uncompressed and reproduced through FL Studio. Billie Bugara, Pitchfork, 7 Mar. 2026 In order to arrive at our eyes (or instruments), a signal has to go through a wide variety of environments. Big Think, 6 Mar. 2026 For those considering adding the metal to their portfolios, the good news is that there are multiple ways to invest in silver — from physical coins and bars to ETFs, mining stocks and more advanced trading instruments. Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026 Rosi shows us cranes and other instruments churning away, with no one in sight. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026 The device could also be used to damp vibrations in aerospace vehicles, ships, and aircraft, and to provide a shield for sensitive military hardware and scientific instruments that are vulnerable to sudden shock. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instruments
Noun
  • Historical paintings don’t come with certificates; experts are increasingly hesitant to express complete certainty, for fear of litigation or reputational damage should they be proven wrong.
    Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
  • In a nice touch, all reseller plans use NVMe storage, LiteSpeed web servers, 30-day backups, free SSL certificates for all clients, malware scanning and removal, and firewalls for enhanced security.
    Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 8 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The Natives in his book are largely presented as plot devices, not flesh-and-blood individuals.
    Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
  • The New York Times reported Wednesday that Kennedy wrote a letter to universities in January suggesting 71 topics, including food allergies, dietary supplements, wearable devices, composting and crop rotation.
    Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Unlike conventional pipe-inspection tools, the robot can travel up to 6 km on a single battery charge, while operating in passages only a few centimeters wide.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Always wear safety gear when working with tools and equipment.
    Daniel Scott, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Unlike past Surgeon Generals, Means doesn’t have board certifications or an active medical license.
    Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Printed inside the boxes is clear, helpful information about Tilt's formulas, certifications and easy refill instructions.
    Tory Johnson, ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The market share of zero-emission vehicles among all light-duty vehicles sold rose from 12% in 2021 to 19% in 2022.
    Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Despite these challenges, the verification system continued functioning throughout the entire flight, proving that blockchain technology can reliably operate on lightweight onboard hardware used in autonomous aerial vehicles.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • They were treated like pawns in a JEA chess game, played and discarded.
    Mark Woods, Florida Times-Union, 20 Feb. 2026
  • During that period, NYC received 220,000 migrants — because the Republican governor of Texas wanted to cruelly use them as political pawns by sending them here.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Starting a garden means walking into a hardware store and facing walls of tools engineered to separate you from your cash.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Trump has tried to continue his tariffs via other means, although his latest across-the-board 15% tariff is limited to 150 days unless Congress votes to extend it.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Escobar also met with a detainee from Ecuador who said his arm had been broken during a violent arrest by immigration agents in Minnesota.
    Morgan Lee, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
  • The white phosphorus then ignites and burns intensely, destroying the agents by incinerating them – a method meant to reduce the risk of spreading the materials and to limit potential harm to civilians and the surrounding environment.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 8 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Instruments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instruments. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

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