# instrumental

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ɪnstɹəˈmɛntəl/ · frequency rank #7,239

## Definitions
1. Essential or central; of great importance or relevance.
2. Serving as an instrument, medium, means, or agency.
3. Pertaining to, made by, or prepared for an instrument, especially a musical instrument (rather than the human voice).
4. A pause in the vocals of a song, usually occurring midway through, in which a musical instrument replaces the vocals.
5. Applied to a case expressing means or agency, generally corresponding to the English use of prepositions such as by, with, through, or by means of with the objective case.

## Etymology
From Middle English instrumental, instrumentale, from Medieval Latin īnstrūmentālis, equivalent to instrument + -al.

## Easily confused with
- **instruments** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/instrumental-vs-instruments)
- **instrument** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/instrument-vs-instrumental)

## Common misspellings (19)
`innstrumental`, `insrtumental`, `insstrumental`, `instrmuental`, `instrrumental`, `instruemntal`, `instrumenatl`, `instrumenntal`, `instrumentall`, `instrumentla`, `instrumenttal`, `instrumetnal`, `instrummental`, `instrumnetal`, `insttrumental`, `insturmental`, `intsrumental`, `isntrumental`, `nistrumental`

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