Word
instrumental
Meanings
playing a very important role in making something happen
relating to musical instruments rather than singing
Definition
Instrumental means extremely important in making something happen or succeed.
If something is instrumental, it plays a key role in achieving a result. It suggests more than simple help: without it, success would be unlikely or slower. People, decisions, resources, and actions can all be instrumental in change or progress.
Examples
- Her calm mediation was instrumental in ending the dispute before it escalated.
- The new data was instrumental in reshaping our research priorities for the next year.
- Their local partners proved instrumental in navigating cultural expectations during the rollout.
- I found a mentor who was instrumental in helping me refine my leadership style.
- The film’s instrumental passages created a tense atmosphere even without dialogue.
Common mistake
Learners often use "instrumental to" instead of the more natural "instrumental in" (e.g., "instrumental in improving results").
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.