clinical
adjective
clin·i·cal
ˈkli-ni-kəl 
1
: of, relating to, or conducted in or as if in a clinic: such as
a
: involving direct observation of the patient
clinical diagnosis
b
: based on or characterized by observable and diagnosable symptoms
clinical treatment
clinical tuberculosis
2
: analytical or coolly dispassionate
describing the situation with clinical detachment
3
US, informal
: done or performed with excellence and precision : exemplary
In the meantime Bryant … continued his clinical shooting, which has allowed him to more than double his scoring average …—
Alexander Wolff
Alexander WolffExamples of clinical in a Sentence
Both experimental and clinical evidence show that the treatment is effective.
She enjoys her clinical practice but is looking forward to working in a laboratory.
Three hundred patients were involved in the clinical study.
Recent Examples on the Web
Robin is about 30% autonomous, while a team of operators working remotely controls the rest under the watchful eyes of clinical staff.
—Hallie Golden The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2025
Zinner joined Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center in Boston and served as clinical director and surgeon-in-chief at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital from 1994 to 2015.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Wen is an emergency physician and adjunct clinical associate professor at the George Washington University.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
One cup of cooked oatmeal already provides about six grams of protein, Stephani Johnson, RDN, DCN, an adjunct professor of clinical and preventive nutrition services at the Rutgers School of Health Professions, told Verywell.
—Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clinical
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Hallie Golden The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2025
Zinner joined Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center in Boston and served as clinical director and surgeon-in-chief at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital from 1994 to 2015.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Wen is an emergency physician and adjunct clinical associate professor at the George Washington University.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
One cup of cooked oatmeal already provides about six grams of protein, Stephani Johnson, RDN, DCN, an adjunct professor of clinical and preventive nutrition services at the Rutgers School of Health Professions, told Verywell.
—Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clinical
Cite this Entry
“Clinical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clinical. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clinical
adjective
clin·i·cal
ˈklin-i-kəl
1
: of, relating to, or conducted in or as if in a clinic
clinical examination
2
: involving or based on direct observation of the patient
clinical studies
Medical Definition
clinical
adjective
clin·i·cal
ˈklin-i-kəl
: of, relating to, or conducted in or as if in a clinic: as
a
: involving or concerned with the direct observation and treatment of living patients
engaged in full-time clinical practice
clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology
b
: of, relating to, based on, or characterized by observable and diagnosable symptoms of disease
the clinical picture on admission was that of mild depression in an extremely rigid personality—Occupational Therapy & Rehabilitation
Occupational Therapy & Rehabilitationthree of these six foods were actually the cause of symptoms, and upon their elimination, clinical cure was effected—Journal of Pediatrics
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