institutional
gb/ˌɪnstɪtˈuʃənəl/ us/ˌɪnstɪtˈuʃənəl/
B2
English
~ 4800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
Relating to an organization or system
About or from a big and important organization like a school, bank, or government.
Usage pattern:
[institutional] [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'institutional' with 'institutionalized'; the latter often refers to people living in institutions or to something made normal by custom.
Synonyms
organizational (More general for any organization, not necessarily large or formal.)
Antonyms
individual (Focuses on single persons rather than large organizations.)
Collocations
institutional framework
|institutional support
|institutional reform
|institutional structure
|institutional change
Themes
business
|politics
|education
|law
Examples
- The report focuses on institutional reform in the education sector.
- She works on projects that aim to strengthen institutional capacity.
- Institutional policies require all employees to undergo training.
- The country is facing deep institutional challenges.
- Institutional resistance slowed down the implementation of new laws.
Learner examples
- The school has many institutional rules.
- He studies institutional problems in politics.
- Institutional help is important for small companies.
- They want to make institutional changes at the hospital.
adjective
B2
property
2
Like an institution's physical setting
Looking or feeling like a big public building, often plain and not very personal.
Usage pattern:
[institutional] [appearance/setting/design]
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'institutional' here means 'official' rather than describing the physical style or atmosphere.
Synonyms
austere (Emphasizes plainness and lack of decoration, but not necessarily linked to institutions.)
Antonyms
homely (Warm and comfortable in a personal way, opposite of impersonal.)
Collocations
institutional decor
|institutional food
|institutional design
Themes
architecture
|daily life
|education
|health
|law
Examples
- The hospital room had an institutional feel with its white walls and metal bed.
- The cafeteria served bland, institutional food.
- The building’s interior was clean but very institutional.
Learner examples
- The room looks very institutional.
- This food tastes like institutional food.
- The chairs have an institutional design.
adjective
C1
property
3
Established within a system or culture
Something that has become a normal part of how a group or system works.
Usage pattern:
[institutional] [practice/custom/bias]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'institutionalized', which can mean formally established by law or policy but also has other senses.
Synonyms
systemic (Refers to something affecting the whole system; often used interchangeably in contexts like racism.)
Antonyms
isolated (Refers to something occurring alone and not embedded in the system.)
Collocations
institutional racism
|institutional bias
|institutional discrimination
Themes
society
|politics
|core_vocabulary
|work
Examples
- The investigation revealed institutional racism within the police force.
- Institutional corruption can be hard to root out.
- The company is trying to address institutional bias in its hiring practices.
Learner examples
- They want to stop institutional racism.
- Institutional problems are hard to change.
- Institutional rules are part of the culture.
Grammar
Dictionary form
institutional
IPA
GB/ˌɪnstɪtˈuʃənəl/
US/ˌɪnstɪtˈuʃənəl/
Syllables & stress
in - sti - tu - tion - al (5 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (tu)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: institutional
Word family
Core family
institution
noun B1
Related words
institute
noun B1
Negative and opposite forms
non-institutional
adjective
Advanced or less common
Expressions
institutional framework
1/ˌɪnstɪtˈuʃənəl fɹˈeɪmwˌɚk/
fixed phrase
formal
Structure and rules of a system
The way an organization or system is set up, including its rules and parts.
Examples
- The new law will change the country's institutional framework.
- An effective institutional framework is needed for economic growth.
institutional memory
1/ˌɪnstɪtˈuʃənəl mˈɛmɚi/
fixed phrase
Organization's collective knowledge over time
The knowledge and experience that people in an organization remember and pass on over time.
Examples
- Losing senior staff can damage the company's institutional memory.
- Institutional memory helps organizations avoid repeating past mistakes.
institutional investor
1/ˌɪnstɪtˈuʃənəl ɪnvˈɛstɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
Organization investing large sums
A big company or group that puts a lot of money into stocks, bonds, or other investments.
Examples
- Pension funds are one type of institutional investor.
- Pension funds are a type of institutional investor.
- Institutional investors have more influence on stock prices than individual investors.
- Institutional investors can influence market trends due to their size.