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

The Los Angeles School Board placed Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on indefinite administrative leave Friday, two days after FBI agents raided his California home and school district office. —Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2026

Board President Lynn Zeder emphasized the board and administrative staff have made progress toward finding a way to add the language to its curriculum. —Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026

The cuts, mostly administrative and instructional coach roles, address budget shortfalls from declining student enrollment. —Erick Trevino, AZCentral.com, 27 Feb. 2026

An administrative judge has approved an expedited hearing for the lawsuit and will issue a ruling before March 1. —Jonathan Appelbaum, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Feb. 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