structural

adjective

struc·​tur·​al ˈstrək-chə-rəl How to pronounce structural (audio)
ˈstrək-shrəl
1
: of or relating to the physical makeup of a plant or animal body
structural defects of the heart
2
a
: of, relating to, or affecting structure
structural stability
b
: used in building structures
structural clay
c
: involved in or caused by structure especially of the economy
structural unemployment
3
: of, relating to, or resulting from the effects of folding or faulting of the earth's crust : tectonic
4
: concerned with or relating to structure rather than history or comparison
structural linguistics
structurally adverb

Examples of structural in a Sentence

The house suffered no structural damage.
Recent Examples on the Web After the 3Ds, the next step is to prune for the structural health of the plant. Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 15 Mar. 2024 Jefferson County also sustained significant structural damage, according to local emergency response officials. John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 15 Mar. 2024 The varied soundscapes, elastic tonal inflections, and diverse structural approaches render the album as a neonic funhouse, except the distortion here only brings more clarity to the personal and creative DNA of the 28-year-old Philadelphia artist. Peter A. Berry, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024 In January, the county’s Spending Affordability Committee predicted that structural challenges could leave Prince George’s with a deficit of up to $407 million within the next five fiscal years. Lateshia Beachum, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 The Plus Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Crop Jean in Vintage Canvas is constructed from 98 percent cotton with two percent elastane, giving them that structural look of a pair of rigid jeans with lots of comfortable stretch. Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024 The city incurred millions of dollars in structural damage as a result. Kira Caspers, The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024 How about some of the structural stuff within the show? Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 In the months leading up to the collapse, the building was also facing major structural repairs. Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'structural.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of structural was in 1801

Dictionary Entries Near structural

Cite this Entry

“Structural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/structural. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

structural

adjective
struc·​tur·​al ˈstrək-chə-rəl How to pronounce structural (audio)
ˈstrək-shrəl
1
: of, relating to, or affecting structure
structural weaknesses
2
: used or formed for use in construction
structural steel
structurally
adverb

Medical Definition

structural

adjective
1
: of or relating to the physical makeup of a plant or animal body
structural defects of the heart
compare functional sense 1a
2
: of, relating to, or affecting structure
structural stability
structurally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on structural

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