institutional

adjective

in·​sti·​tu·​tion·​al ˌin(t)-stə-ˈt(y)ü-sh(ə-)nəl 

1

: of or relating to an institution

institutional knowledge

2

: characteristic of or appropriate to institutions

bland institutional cooking

institutional green walls

institutionally adverb

Examples of institutional in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Word quickly spread, and Togar began receiving invitations from independent art spaces in Amsterdam, such as Framer Framed and De Appel, to transform these institutional settings into platforms for sonic activation. —Hung Duong, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026

Semiconductor controls continue to govern advanced nodes; outbound investment screening has deep institutional support; critical infrastructure and data concerns persist across multiple agencies. —Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025

Phased retirement can also help companies to manage the consequences of the looming workforce contraction by forestalling brain drain and smoothing succession planning — all while preserving the institutional knowledge and relationships that help companies thrive. —Mary Moreland, Fortune, 31 Dec. 2025

Without institutional support, parents are left with a narrative of drudgery—one that equates children with the loss of time, money, and opportunity. —Lauren Hilgers, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1617, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing institutional

• anti-institutional
• institutional racism
• inter-institutional
• multi-institutional

Rhymes for institutional

• attributional
• constitutional
• convolutional
• distributional
• involutional
• substitutional
• interinstitutional
• noninstitutional
• unconstitutional