# instrument vs instrumental

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### instrument
*noun · IPA /ˈɪnstɹəmənt/ · frequency rank #4,608*
A device used to produce music.

### instrumental
*adjective · IPA /ɪnstɹəˈmɛntəl/ · frequency rank #7,239*
Essential or central; of great importance or relevance.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/instrument-vs-instrumental