institutionalism

American  

[in-sti-too-shuh-nl-iz-uhm, -tyoo-] / ˌɪn stɪˈtu ʃə nlˌɪz əm, -ˈtyu- /

noun

1. the system of institutions or organized societies devoted to public, charitable, or similar purposes.

2. strong attachment to established institutions, as of religion.

3. the policy or practice of using public institutions to house and care for people considered incapable of caring for themselves.

4. the belief or policy that a church must maintain institutions of education, welfare, etc., for its members.

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institutionalism British  

/ ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the system of or belief in institutions

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Other Word Forms

• institutionalist noun

Etymology

Origin of institutionalism

First recorded in 1860–65; institutional + -ism

Example Sentences

Matsumoto stresses the anonymity of modern institutionalism through a proliferation of numbers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

Some of them were well-intentioned, like Attorney General Merrick Garland—who wanted to restore institutionalism to the Justice Department.

From Slate • Dec. 2, 2024

Boston University School of Law professor Jed Shugerman told Salon that particularly in the most recent Supreme Court term, Roberts has veered from institutionalism.

From Salon • Jul. 31, 2024

Wanting better leaders never goes out of style, but the series’s reverent institutionalism now seems much more remote.

From New York Times • Oct. 16, 2020

In the last resort, criticism of the Church, of Christian institutionalism, is really criticism of ourselves.

From The Life of the Spirit and the Life of To-day by Underhill, Evelyn