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

Her confinement was not the result of any criminal conduct, but of bureaucratic error compounded by institutional inertia. —Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026

Trump’s idea, in theory, is to reduce demand from institutional buyers and thus lower prices. —Michael Khouw, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026

Calling affordability a multilayered crisis, Newsom is expected to signal a tougher stance toward the buying spree of homes by private equity and institutional investors in California. —Melody Gutierrez, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026

Even so, institutional landlords remain a major presence in Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix, Tampa and other metro areas that have grown in recent years. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026

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