What does "institutional" mean?
A client that is an organization rather than an individual.
Institutional
/ˌɪn.stɪˈtju.ʃə.nəl/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A client that is an organization rather than an individual.
- Grammar: institutional is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: academic associates, academic cohorts, academic determination, academic discipline.
- Useful contrasts: casual, household chores, household furnishings.
- Usage evidence: Institutional racism is a serious problem.
How to use "institutional"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "institutional" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "institutional" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "institutional" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "institutional" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "institutional" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "academic associates" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "institutional", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A client that is an organization rather than an individual.
"Few public relations people have learned to communicate effectively with the funds, meet their needs, and maintain a balance between institutionals and individual round lot holders."
- 2 A Chilean senator who is appointed by the president for a term of eight years.
"The institutionals include four former senior military commanders, one from each of the four branches of the armed forces, selected by the National security Council (Cosena); two former Supreme Court judges and one former comptroller-general, selected by the Supreme Court; and one former interior minister and a former university rector, selected by the president."
- 3 A community where the majority of inhabitants work at an institution (as opposed to industry or trade), or one such inhabitant.
"In any time period, Marketing Centers and Institutionals will have a higher per capita index of airline passengers than either Industrial or Balanced communities."
- 4 An institutionalized person.
"And I hope you can work it out where 'institutionals' can have rights too."
- 5 A person whose sense of self is based on institutionalized values and standards, as opposed to their tastes and impulses.
"If vocational counseling to help the individual find his peculiar niche has elements of the impulse conception of self, the idea that a person can make of himself what he will, that one chooses a task and then works at it, is the view of institutionals."
Adjective
- 1 Of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or organized along the lines of an institution.
"Swindon's Model Lodging House was originally designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The 1847-1849 recession led to delays and plan revisions, including smaller windows in the finished structure, resulting in a more 'institutional' appearance."
- 2 Instituted by authority.
"institutional ruling"
- 3 Elementary; rudimentary.
- 4 Arising from the practice of an institution.
"There must be an unequivocal acceptance of the problem of institutional racism and its nature before it can be addressed"
Adjective
- 1 organized as or forming an institution wordnet
- 2 characteristic or suggestive of an institution especially in being uniform or dull or unimaginative wordnet
- 3 relating to or constituting or involving an institution wordnet
Synonyms
All synonyms academic associatesacademic cohortsacademic determinationacademic disciplineacademic inquiryacademic program
Antonyms
Example
"Institutional racism is a serious problem."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "institutional"?
Common synonyms include: academic associates, academic cohorts, academic determination, academic discipline, academic inquiry, academic program.
How do you use "institutional" in a sentence?
Institutional racism is a serious problem.
How do you pronounce "institutional"?
Pronounced /ˌɪn.stɪˈtju.ʃə.nəl/.
Etymology
From institution + -al.