denominational
Americanadjective
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of or relating to a denomination or denominations.
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founded, sponsored, or controlled by a particular religious denomination or sect.
denominational schools.
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limited, conditioned, originating in, or influenced by the beliefs, attitudes, or interests of a religious sect, political party, etc..
denominational prejudice.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of denominational
First recorded in 1830–40; denomination + -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Critics of the change say this risks flattening meaningful distinctions between religious identities, particularly for service members whose beliefs do not fall neatly into major denominational groupings.
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026
“An exemption that requires proselytization or exclusive service of co-religionists establishes a preference for certain religions,” Justice Sotomayor said, calling it a “paradigmatic form of denominational discrimination.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025
He said at another point that “in the civil rights movement, at least in the late ’60s in particular,” there was more “solidarity among churches across denominational lines.”
From New York Times ● Feb. 11, 2024
While most UMC congregations are remaining, many of the departing congregations are large, and denominational officials are bracing for significant budget cuts in 2024.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 6, 2023
“I wanted to go to the state university but we couldn’t afford it. My father had to send me to a small denominational college.”
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
