structural

adjective

struc·​tur·​al ˈstrək-chə-rəl How to pronounce structural (audio)
ˈstrək-shrəl
1
: of or relating to the physical makeup of a plant or animal body
structural defects of the heart
2
a
: of, relating to, or affecting structure
structural stability
b
: used in building structures
structural clay
c
: involved in or caused by structure especially of the economy
structural unemployment
3
: of, relating to, or resulting from the effects of folding or faulting of the earth's crust : tectonic
4
: concerned with or relating to structure rather than history or comparison
structural linguistics
structurally adverb

Examples of structural in a Sentence

The house suffered no structural damage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Yet those strengths may not be enough to overturn the structural advantages enjoyed by Moscow and Beijing, said experts. — Lee Ying Shan,matthew Tan, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026 Since before the civil war, which decimated over 450 Maya villages, Indigenous communities have continuously struggled through structural poverty, colonial genocide, and high child mortality. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Oct. 2026 The industry is in the middle of a structural reformulation wave because of it. — Arabelle Sicardi, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2026 The company claimed this structural shell delivers three times the impact resistance required by China’s national safety standard. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for structural

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of structural was in 1801

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Structural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/structural. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Kids Definition

structural

adjective
struc·​tur·​al ˈstrək-chə-rəl How to pronounce structural (audio)
ˈstrək-shrəl
1
: of, relating to, or affecting structure
structural weaknesses
2
: used or formed for use in construction
structural steel
structurally
-ē
adverb

Medical Definition

1
: of or relating to the physical makeup of a plant or animal body
structural defects of the heart
compare functional sense 1a
2
: of, relating to, or affecting structure
structural stability
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