instrument
noun
in·stru·ment
| \ ˈin(t)-strə-mənt
\
\
Definition of instrument
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: a device used to produce music
also
: a singing voice
2a
: a means whereby something is achieved, performed, or furthered
4
: a formal legal document (such as a deed, bond, or agreement)
5a
: a measuring device for determining the present value of a quantity under observation
b
: an electrical or mechanical device used in navigating an airplane
especially
: such a device used as the sole means of navigating
instrument
verb
in·stru·ment
| \ ˈin(t)-strə-ˌment
\
\
instrumented;
instrumenting;
instruments
Definition of instrument (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to address a legal instrument to
2
: to score for musical performance : orchestrate
3
: to equip with instruments especially for measuring and recording data
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Synonyms for instrument
Synonyms: Noun
certificate, certification, document
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Examples of instrument in a Sentence
Noun
an instrument designed to measure the Earth's atmosphere The piano was his favorite musical instrument. Do you play any instruments?
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Another idea is the Aeroclipper, a balloon being developed in France that drifts at low altitude, dragging behind it a cable that extends down to the sea surface with instruments along the cable to measure wind, temperature, pressure, and humidity. — Adam Sobel, New York Times, "What Will Turn Hurricane Dorian? How Wide Is the Eye? Your Questions Answered.," 1 Sep. 2019 That is correct, but central banks can use other policy instruments. — Tyler Cowen, Houston Chronicle, "Yes, the Fed could still stop a recession," 29 Aug. 2019 And its new Orion spacecraft will be equipped with a radiation-sensing instrument that will alert astronauts to a spike in radiation — so the crew can move to the middle of the craft and shield themselves with bags of supplies. — NBC News, "A trip to Mars could cause brain damage. Here's how NASA aims to protect astronauts.," 28 Aug. 2019 Here, Jones talks about about his life-long love affair with instruments and making bold musical choices in Harlots. — Morena Duwe, Billboard, "Rael Jones Delivers Electronic Music to the 18th Century With His Score for Hulu's 'Harlots': Interview," 26 Aug. 2019 Critics contend that weakening the rule will allow banks once again to engage in risky bets through opaque financial instruments. — The Economist, "Business this week," 22 Aug. 2019 Adjacent to the ship, scientists will track the evolving ice and the waters below it in fine detail, with buoys along with instruments in and below the surface. — Eli Kintisch, Science | AAAS, "Arctic researchers will lock this ship in ice for a year to study the changing polar region," 20 Aug. 2019 Julie Marie Patterson, 39, died the evening of Aug. 8, 1991, after she was hit on the head with a blunt instrument while laying on a sofa in her home, according to an Arizona Republic article from Sept. 15, 1991. — Chelsea Curtis, azcentral, "28 years later, family still awaits justice in murder of Fountain Hills woman," 10 Aug. 2019 Using new high-precision starlight-sifting instruments, researchers are gearing up for even more subtle searches there. — Corey S. Powell, Scientific American, "The Hunt Is on for Alpha Centauri’s Planets," 5 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Unlike earthquake prediction — which in terms of short-term prediction is currently not feasible and may never be feasible on a short timescale — volcano prediction is feasible and is common if volcanoes are instrumented. — NBC News, "Volcano expert explains the science behind Kilauea's ongoing eruption," 23 May 2018 Bullerengue is a genre led mainly by elderly women, instrumented exclusively with artisan drums, and preserved through oral tradition. — Marjua Estevez, Billboard, "How Afro-Colombian Artist MagÃn DÃaz Went From Anonymity to Latin Grammy-Nominated at 95 Years Old," 7 Nov. 2017 But however well-instrumented, machines can't intuit. — Bucky Mcmahon, Popular Mechanics, "What's it like to fly a plane into a hurricane like Irma? We climbed into a NOAA plane in 2016 and flew into the heart of Hurricane Matthew to find out.," 8 Sep. 2017 The plan is for the NFL, when the technology is ready, to offer mouth guards instrumented with such sensors to players to measure their impact response. — Barry Wilner, The Christian Science Monitor, "NFL dedicates large portion of $100 million pledge to neuroscience," 29 Aug. 2017 The plan is for the NFL, when the technology is ready, to offer mouth guards instrumented with such sensors to players to measure their impact response. — USA TODAY, "NFL making $40 million available for medical research," 29 Aug. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'instrument.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for instrument
instrument
noun
English Language Learners Definition of instrument
: a tool or device used for a particular purpose
especially
: a tool or device designed to do careful and exact work
: a device that measures something (such as temperature or distance)
: a device that is used to make music
See the full definition for instrument in the English Language Learners Dictionary
instrument
noun
in·stru·ment
| \