institutionalize
verb
in·sti·tu·tion·al·ize
ˌin(t)-stə-ˈt(y)ü-sh(ə-)nə-ˌlīz 
institutionalized; institutionalizing
1
: to make into an institution : give character of an institution to
especially
: to incorporate into a structured and often highly formalized system
… he has tried to institutionalize the bank's practices so that it can carry on when he no longer leads it. —
Bruce Shenitz
Bruce Shenitz In 2005, The New York Times revealed a set of NSA surveillance programs that, though considered shocking at the time, have since been institutionalized. —David Brown
David Brown 2
: to place in or commit to the care of a specialized institution (such as a psychiatric hospital)
Thirty years ago doctors routinely advised parents to institutionalize children with Down syndrome and other disabilities …—Parenting
ParentingExamples of institutionalize in a Sentence
It will take time to institutionalize these reforms.
They had to institutionalize their youngest son.
She was institutionalized for seven years.
Recent Examples on the Web
Across the region, design was becoming institutionalized as a profession, opening up new avenues, especially for women.
—Michael Kimmelman Clement Pascal, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Richmond’s standout success lies in institutionalizing Advance Peace into the city budget like any other public safety program.
—Elinor Simek, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024
Custodial security infrastructure is key to institutionalizing digital assets
A physical BTC ETF requires 5 key partners: Issuer, Trustee, Administrator, Authorized Participants and Custodian.
—Sebastian Widmann, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
She was institutionalized three times in 2019, and developed an addiction to painkillers.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2024
The place was still overrun with eccentrics, but professionalism was institutionalized.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
The act, which was repealed in 1943 and replaced with a quota system allowing around 105 visas per year, and other laws institutionalized anti-Asian discrimination.
—Amanda Holpuch, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Related Articles Let’s call on these cities to follow these strategies that work and institutionalize funding to Advance Peace.
—Elinor Simek, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024
The bet is that Congress will capitulate to the OECD’s global tax authority, adopt its rules, and institutionalize a business-tax system run by bureaucrats in Paris.
Democrats want to adopt the OECD’s tax system and go even further.
—Adam N. Michel, National Review, 14 Feb. 2024
Michael Kimmelman Clement Pascal, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Richmond’s standout success lies in institutionalizing Advance Peace into the city budget like any other public safety program.
—Elinor Simek, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024
Custodial security infrastructure is key to institutionalizing digital assets
A physical BTC ETF requires 5 key partners: Issuer, Trustee, Administrator, Authorized Participants and Custodian.
—Sebastian Widmann, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
She was institutionalized three times in 2019, and developed an addiction to painkillers.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2024
The place was still overrun with eccentrics, but professionalism was institutionalized.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024
The act, which was repealed in 1943 and replaced with a quota system allowing around 105 visas per year, and other laws institutionalized anti-Asian discrimination.
—Amanda Holpuch, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Related Articles Let’s call on these cities to follow these strategies that work and institutionalize funding to Advance Peace.
—Elinor Simek, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024
The bet is that Congress will capitulate to the OECD’s global tax authority, adopt its rules, and institutionalize a business-tax system run by bureaucrats in Paris.
Democrats want to adopt the OECD’s tax system and go even further.
—Adam N. Michel, National Review, 14 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'institutionalize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near institutionalize
Cite this Entry
“Institutionalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/institutionalize. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
institutionalize
verb
in·sti·tu·tion·al·ize
ˌin(t)-stə-ˈt(y)ü-shnə-ˌlīz
-shən-ᵊl-ˌīz
institutionalized; institutionalizing
1
: to make into or treat like an institution
institutionalized housing
2
: to put into an institution
Medical Definition
institutionalize
transitive verb
in·sti·tu·tion·al·ize
variants
or chiefly British institutionalise
institutionalized or chiefly British institutionalised; institutionalizing or chiefly British institutionalising
: to place in or commit to the care of a specialized institution
Thirty years ago doctors routinely advised parents to institutionalize children with Down syndrome and other disabilities …—Parenting
Parenting
institutionalization
noun
or chiefly British institutionalisation
Legal Definition
institutionalize
transitive verb
in·sti·tu·tion·al·ize
ˌin-stə-ˈtü-shə-nə-ˌlīz, -ˈtyü-
institutionalized; institutionalizing
: to put in the care of an institution compare commit
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