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
Cannabis use disorder is real, and a concern, but very unlikely to be a problem in the clinical setting.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2025
The Vancouver Whitecaps will after a clinical 3-1 victory Saturday night at soldout and stunned Snapdragon Stadium in the Western Conference final.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025
The difference between mental ‘wellness’ and clinical care The most profound finding the team discovered during the year running Yara AI, according to Braidwood, is that there’s a crucial distinction between wellness and clinical care that isn’t well-defined.
—Sage Lazzaro, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2025
High-touch surfaces are expected to be cleaned frequently in clinical settings, but cubicle and privacy curtains often go unnoticed.
—Karina Nicholas, Boston Herald, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clinical
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Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2025
The Vancouver Whitecaps will after a clinical 3-1 victory Saturday night at soldout and stunned Snapdragon Stadium in the Western Conference final.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025
The difference between mental ‘wellness’ and clinical care The most profound finding the team discovered during the year running Yara AI, according to Braidwood, is that there’s a crucial distinction between wellness and clinical care that isn’t well-defined.
—Sage Lazzaro, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2025
High-touch surfaces are expected to be cleaned frequently in clinical settings, but cubicle and privacy curtains often go unnoticed.
—Karina Nicholas, Boston Herald, 28 Nov. 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 7 Dec. 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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