administrative

adjective

ad·​min·​is·​tra·​tive əd-ˈmi-nə-ˌstrā-tiv 

-strə-

: of or relating to administration or an administration : relating to the management of a company, school, or other organization

administrative tasks/duties/responsibilities

administrative expenses/costs

a hospital's administrative staff

… these schools are given wide latitude in creating their teaching programs as long as they meet certain academic standards; they are also freed from many of the administrative and hiring rules governing traditional public schools.

—Suzanna Andrews

Synonyms of administrative

• managerial

Examples of administrative in a Sentence

She has an administrative job.

among his other administrative duties is the appointment of transit authority officials

Recent Examples on the Web

Senior administrative officer Chandraprakash Singh said 15 people were rescued, four of them in critical condition. —ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026

Federal officials have said the office space will be used exclusively for legal and administrative functions, with funding through the recent passing of the Big Beautiful Bill Act. —Mona Darwish, Oc Register, 10 Apr. 2026

According to a statement issued by Sasha Douglas, superintendent of CREC Magnet Schools, Vaughn-Marcella was placed on administrative leave in December. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026

The plan is for the PMA to move its administrative offices to the new Free Street building, which is next door to the museum as a way to open up space for more galleries in its main building. —Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 9 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

administr(ation) + -ative

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing administrative

• administrative county
• administrative law

Rhymes for administrative

• accommodative
• accumulative
• adjudicative
• agglutinative
• ameliorative
• appreciative
• assimilative
• associative
• authoritative
• collaborative
• cooperative
• deliberative

Kids Definition

administrative

adjective

ad·​min·​is·​tra·​tive əd-ˈmin-ə-ˌstrāt-iv 

-strət-

: of or relating to administration

an administrative position

Legal Definition

administrative

adjective

ad·​min·​i·​stra·​tive əd-ˈmi-nə-ˌstrā-tiv 

1

: of or relating to the performance of a function : ministerial

administrative communications include…instructions that encourage a jury to continue its deliberations

—National Law Journal

2

: of or relating to the executive branch of a government compare legislative, judicial

3

: of or relating to a government agency

administrative remedies