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

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

I used to believe that answering hysteria with vanilla bean–flavored institutionalism would restore confidence in institutions.

From Slate • Oct. 22, 2021

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

These claims may be admitted; but they come very far short of the glorification of institutionalism which we found in the authors quoted a few pages back.

From Outspoken Essays by Inge, William Ralph