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

clinically

ˈkli-ni-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples 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

Fewer than 40% of respondents reported regular use of AI tools across their clinical workflows. —Tor Constantino, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025

Recruiting and retaining a skilled clinical workforce has never been more competitive. —Dr. Denis Lafreniere, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2025

Carr is clinical professor of law and director of the Human Trafficking Clinic at the University of Michigan Law School. —Bridgette Carr, New York Daily News, 16 May 2025

Men may be at higher risk for death because of a delay in diagnosis or treatment, says Abha Khandelwal, MD, a cardiologist and a clinical associate professor of medicine at Stanford Health Care in California, who wasn’t involved in the study. —Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 15 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing clinical

• clinical depression
• clinical psychologist
• clinical psychology
• clinical thermometer
• clinical trial

Rhymes for clinical

• binnacle
• cynical
• pinnacle
• nonclinical
• preclinical
• rabbinical
• subclinical

Kids 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

clinically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

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

three of these six foods were actually the cause of symptoms, and upon their elimination, clinical cure was effected

—Journal of Pediatrics

clinically

-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

a clinically significant infection

clinically effective therapies