structural

American  

[struhk-cher-uhl] / ˈstrʌk tʃər əl /

adjective

1. of or relating to structure; relating or essential to a structure.

2. resulting from or relating to political or economic structure: structural inequalities;

   structural reforms to the social safety net;

   structural inequalities;

   structural racism.

3. Biology. relating to organic structure; morphological.

4. Geology. of or relating to geological structure, as of rock or strata.

5. Chemistry. relating to or showing the arrangement or mode of attachment of the atoms that constitute a molecule of a substance.

6. of, relating to, or based on the assumption that the elements of a field of study are naturally arranged in a systematic structure.

   structural grammar.

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noun

1. Building Trades.

   1. a part of a structure that carries a load.

   2. the structural member used for such a part.

structural British  

/ ˈstrʌktʃərəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or having structure or a structure

2. of, relating to, or forming part of the structure of a building

3. of or relating to the structure and deformation of rocks and other features of the earth's crust

4. of or relating to the structure of organisms; morphological

5. chem of, concerned with, caused by, or involving the arrangement of atoms in molecules

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Other Word Forms

• nonstructural adjective
• nonstructurally adverb
• structurally adverb
• unstructural adjective
• unstructurally adverb

Etymology

Origin of structural

First recorded in 1825–35; structure + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Forest Service, which recently underwent a sweeping structural overhaul.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

The project appears complex as it requires high structural rigidity and a 62-meters vertical clearance, he reckons.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

That lack of clarity may justify a structural valuation discount that limits the upside in the stock and keeps it volatile going forward.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

This triggers a structural imbalance called a Janus reaction, which creates internal strain within the layers.

From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026

I was heavier than Sohrab, and the fence’s structural integrity was highly dubious.

From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram

Related Words

• anatomical
• architectural
• basic
• constitutional
• skeletal