sys·tem·ic
si-ˈste-mik 
: of, relating to, or common to a system: such as
a
: affecting the body generally
systemic diseases
b
: supplying those parts of the body that receive blood through the aorta rather than through the pulmonary artery
c
: of, relating to, or being a pesticide that as used is harmless to the plant or higher animal but when absorbed into its sap or bloodstream makes the entire organism toxic to pests (such as an insect or fungus)
Neonics … are what is known as "systemic" pesticides. That is, the neonics are applied directly to seeds, and those treated seeds then grow into the crops that contain neonicotinoids in their pollen, their nectar and, indeed, their every fiber.—
Joel Bleifuss
Joel Bleifuss
d
: fundamental to a predominant social, economic, or political practice
Her story is one of hard-won resilience and a desire to fight against tremendous odds: the systemic poverty instigated and perpetuated by what her advocates describe as punitive government policy.—Stephanie Convery
Stephanie ConveryPeople are tired of marching. People are tired of hashtag protests. People want some systemic change.—Rev. Tiffany Thomas
see also systemic racism
Rev. Tiffany Thomas
Systematic and Systemic: Usage Guide
Systematic and systemic both come from system. Systematic is the more common word; it most often describes something that is done according to a system or method
a systematic approach to learning that involves carefully following the program's steps
Systemic describes what relates to or affects an entire system. For example, a systemic disease affects the entire body or organism, and systemic changes to an organization have an impact on the entire organization, including its most basic operations.
: a systemic pesticide
Examples of systemic in a Sentence
Adjective
The company made some systemic changes to the way it operated.
The problem seems to be systemic.
Recent Examples on the WebJane Thier, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
Volunteers also need to understand the historic, systemic issues that caused challenges, and the community needs to be involved in solving its own challenges.
—Jennifer Sirangelo, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Sick mouth, sick body The list of connections between oral health and systemic health—conditions that affect the entire body—is remarkable.
—Lola Butcher, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Mar. 2024
Beyoncé’s country foray is a clarion call, urging us to take part actively in the broader movement towards dismantling systemic inequities, not just listen.
—Kimberly Bryant, Essence, 29 Mar. 2024
Better cytokine activity suggests a healthier immune response, which is particularly relevant in conditions like Alzheimer's disease, which research has associated with systemic inflammation.
—Carrie Solomon, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
Nursing well into toddlerhood and beyond is biologically normal and would be more common without societal and systemic barriers.
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 27 Mar. 2024
But the roots of the stagnation are systemic, and firms and analysts inside China, as well as governments and businesses around the world, have waited with anticipation for Beijing to clarify its plans to put the country’s economy on a more stable track.
—Daniel H. Rosen, Foreign Affairs, 27 Mar. 2024
Because of societal and systemic inequities and other factors, the Hispanic population can often have lower socioeconomic status and higher rates of some diseases.
—Laura Williamson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2024
Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024
George Loewenstein, a titan of behavioral science and a co-author of Ariely’s masturbation paper, has refashioned his research program, conceding that his own work might have contributed to an emphasis on the individual at the expense of the systemic.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2023
Even before its shocking and infuriating final episode drives home the point, Last Call indicts a society whose systemic—and ongoing—homophobia, from the isolation of the closet to the prejudice embedded in public institutions, can have lethal consequences.
—Time, 7 July 2023
Art’s full accounting demands both: the human scale and the systemic; the power comes in superimposing one on the other, in appreciating the weight of each of those nearly two million souls against that of the power structure that frames their enclosure.
—Adam Bradley, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2022
To me, the word systemic means that it’s built into the institution.
—Anthony Leonardi, Washington Examiner, 2 Sep. 2020
This requires building an ecosystem that works to uplift diverse founders and individuals, but this has to work along two prongs—both the personal and the systemic.
—Karl Lokko, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2022
Alexis Oatman reports the event will help raise essential funds to support the organization’s ongoing mission to address and improve the systemic and community structures that lead to poor birth outcomes.
—cleveland, 10 Nov. 2022
This is an intentional leader who understands what zero tolerance actually means but has the systemic and leadership and compassion chops to bring everyone along.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2022
Adjective
And within and beyond the walls of the office, no one in America has more systemic privilege than white cisgender men.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
Volunteers also need to understand the historic, systemic issues that caused challenges, and the community needs to be involved in solving its own challenges.
—Jennifer Sirangelo, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Sick mouth, sick body The list of connections between oral health and systemic health—conditions that affect the entire body—is remarkable.
—Lola Butcher, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Mar. 2024
Beyoncé’s country foray is a clarion call, urging us to take part actively in the broader movement towards dismantling systemic inequities, not just listen.
—Kimberly Bryant, Essence, 29 Mar. 2024
Better cytokine activity suggests a healthier immune response, which is particularly relevant in conditions like Alzheimer's disease, which research has associated with systemic inflammation.
—Carrie Solomon, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
Nursing well into toddlerhood and beyond is biologically normal and would be more common without societal and systemic barriers.
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 27 Mar. 2024
But the roots of the stagnation are systemic, and firms and analysts inside China, as well as governments and businesses around the world, have waited with anticipation for Beijing to clarify its plans to put the country’s economy on a more stable track.
—Daniel H. Rosen, Foreign Affairs, 27 Mar. 2024
Because of societal and systemic inequities and other factors, the Hispanic population can often have lower socioeconomic status and higher rates of some diseases.
—Laura Williamson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2024
Noun
In addition, the use of broad-spectrum pesticides as a systemic applied to the soil or sprayed on plants often sets up gardeners for heavy infestations of spider mites.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024
George Loewenstein, a titan of behavioral science and a co-author of Ariely’s masturbation paper, has refashioned his research program, conceding that his own work might have contributed to an emphasis on the individual at the expense of the systemic.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2023
Even before its shocking and infuriating final episode drives home the point, Last Call indicts a society whose systemic—and ongoing—homophobia, from the isolation of the closet to the prejudice embedded in public institutions, can have lethal consequences.
—Time, 7 July 2023
Art’s full accounting demands both: the human scale and the systemic; the power comes in superimposing one on the other, in appreciating the weight of each of those nearly two million souls against that of the power structure that frames their enclosure.
—Adam Bradley, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2022
To me, the word systemic means that it’s built into the institution.
—Anthony Leonardi, Washington Examiner, 2 Sep. 2020
This requires building an ecosystem that works to uplift diverse founders and individuals, but this has to work along two prongs—both the personal and the systemic.
—Karl Lokko, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2022
Alexis Oatman reports the event will help raise essential funds to support the organization’s ongoing mission to address and improve the systemic and community structures that lead to poor birth outcomes.
—cleveland, 10 Nov. 2022
This is an intentional leader who understands what zero tolerance actually means but has the systemic and leadership and compassion chops to bring everyone along.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'systemic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing systemic
Dictionary Entries Near systemic
Cite this Entry
“Systemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/systemic. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
systemic
adjective
sys·tem·ic
sis-ˈtem-ik
: of, relating to, or common to a system: as
a
: of or relating to the body as a whole
a systemic disease
b
: concerned with the circulation that supplies blood to the bodily tissues through the aorta rather than the circulation involved in carrying blood through the pulmonary artery
Medical Definition
systemic
1 of 2 adjective
sys·tem·ic
sis-ˈtem-ik
: of, relating to, or common to a system: as
a
: affecting the body generally compare local
b
: supplying those parts of the body that receive blood through the aorta rather than through the pulmonary artery
c
: being a pesticide that as used is harmless to a higher animal or a plant but when absorbed into the bloodstream or the sap makes the whole organism toxic to pests (as cattle grubs, mites, or aphids)
systemic
2 of 2 noun
: a systemic pesticide
More from Merriam-Webster on systemic
Nglish: Translation of systemic for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of systemic for Arabic Speakers
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