instrumental
/ˌɪnstrəˈmentl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪnstrəˈmentl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌin(t)-strə-ˈmen-tᵊl/ (ame, mw) · /ˌɪn.strəˈmen.təl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪn.strəˈmen.t̬əl/ (ame, ipa)
instrumental — adjective
- instrumentalpositive
- more instrumentalcomparative
- most instrumentalsuperlative
1. playing an important part in causing something to happen or succeed — for exampl
playing an important part in causing something to happen or succeed — for example, a negotiator who was instrumental in ending a conflict, or funding that was instrumental to a hospital's expansion.
Yuna was instrumental in getting the peace talks started between the two groups.
instrumental in + gerund
The new funding was instrumental to the hospital's ability to upgrade its equipment.
instrumental to + noun phrase
Christopher's research proved instrumental in developing a vaccine for the disease.
A support network is instrumental in helping new parents adjust to life with a baby.
The witness's testimony was instrumental in securing a conviction against the suspect.
- crucial
more general; can describe any decisive factor, while 'instrumental' stresses being an active means or aid
- key
slightly less formal; emphasises importance rather than active contribution
- vital
stresses necessity — something without which success would be impossible
- influential
broader; describes having an effect, not necessarily a decisive or active one
- unimportant
having no significant effect on the outcome
- insignificant
too small or minor to matter
文法句型
instrumental in + noun/gerund
instrumental to + noun
instrumental role / instrumental part
用法筆記
Frequently used in formal and professional contexts. The subject is typically a person, organisation, event, or factor that drives a result. The most common structure is [subject] + be + instrumental in + [gerund/noun]. A less common but accepted alternative is instrumental to + [noun].
常見錯誤
2. relating to or consisting of music performed by instruments only, with no singin
relating to or consisting of music performed by instruments only, with no singing or vocal parts.
The band released an instrumental version of their hit song, with no vocals or lyrics.
instrumental version
Jisoo prefers instrumental music when she studies because singing voices distract her.
The soundtrack for the film is entirely instrumental, featuring piano and strings.
Many video games play instrumental background music to avoid distracting players with words.
Romi enjoys both vocal and instrumental jazz, but prefers the pieces without singing.
- non-vocal
a broader term; can describe any music or performance without singing
- purely instrumental
emphasises the complete absence of vocals
- vocal
involving or consisting of singing
文法句型
instrumental + noun (music / version / piece / track)
be + instrumental
用法筆記
This sense only describes the music itself, not the musician. Do NOT say 'instrumental musician' to mean someone who plays an instrument — the correct term is 'instrumentalist'. Distinguish from sense 1: if the subject is a person or factor playing a key role, use sense 1; if the subject is a piece of music performed without vocals, use this sense.
常見錯誤
instrumental — noun
- instrumentalsingular
- instrumentalsplural
1. a musical work performed by instruments only, with no singing or vocal parts.
a musical work performed by instruments only, with no singing or vocal parts.
The album has three vocal songs and two short instrumentals.
countable: two instrumentals
Tanvi wrote a beautiful instrumental for piano and flute as a gift for her grandmother.
The orchestra played a slow instrumental that filled the concert hall with a calm feeling.
This instrumental became popular on social media as a backing track for travel videos.
- instrumental piece
more explicit; 'piece of instrumental music'
- instrumental track
common in recording/album contexts
- vocal track
a song with singing
- song with lyrics
a piece of music that includes words
文法句型
a/an + instrumental
the + instrumental
instrumental + prepositional phrase
用法筆記
Often used in music criticism and album reviews. Unlike the adjective sense 2 (which modifies other nouns), the noun sense stands alone as a countable item: 'a beautiful instrumental' / 'two instrumentals'. The definite article is common when referring to a specific known piece: 'the instrumental that plays at the end of the film.'