Word
instrumental
Instrumental means extremely important in making something happen or succeed.
Meanings
playing a very important role in making something happen
relating to musical instruments rather than singing
Definition
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.