structured
Americanadjective
adjective
-
having a distinct physical shape or form, often provided by an internal structure
-
planned in broad outline; organized
structured play for preschoolers
-
having a definite predetermined pattern; rigid
structured hierarchy
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of structured
Explanation
If you're happiest when your day is planned out, with lists of things to do, and a tightly-packed schedule, then you like living a structured life. When something is structured, it's arranged according to a specific plan. Structured is an adjective that comes from the noun structure, which is something that's been built or put together — usually, we think of a building being a structure. Anything that has been put together in an organized, deliberate way can be described as structured. Clothing designers sometimes call certain garments structured when they are carefully tailored and deliberately shaped (like a blazer), rather than loose and flowing (like a long, unfitted skirt).
Vocabulary lists containing structured
"The MGMT Solution," Vocabulary from Chapter 11
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stru, struct (make, build)
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stru, struct (make, build)
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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.
From board games to first-person shooters, games have historically provided a structured, rules-based playground for digital algorithms to learn.
From MarketWatch • May 23, 2026
The findings suggest that the cell surface contains structured biological information that can be read using a standardized approach.
From Science Daily • May 18, 2026
He sings with an unusual drawl that connects to the diction of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, and his compact melodies and tightly structured chord progressions put his voice and lyrics in the foreground.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
“Clearly, the program is structured to subsidize savings for those who already have the capacity to save, rather than meaningfully closing the wealth gap,” observes Sheryl Rowling of Morningstar.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
He wrote more about Ayortha than I ever wished to know: how the guilds were structured; the number of gallons of milk produced in a year by one Ayorthaian cow; the construction of their manors.
From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine
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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.