Institutionalized - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Institutionalized means something has become an established practice or norm within an organization or society. It can also refer to a person being placed in an institution, like a hospital or prison.
Definition:
Established as a norm within an organization or society, often rigidly formalized.
Synonyms:
established, formalized, entrenched, systematized, conventionalized
Part of Speech:
adjective, verb (past participle)
Antonyms:
informalized, unregulated, unconventional
Common Collocations:
institutionalized racism, institutionalized practices, institutionalized care, institutionalized discrimination
Derivatives:
institutionalization, institutionalizing
Usage Tips:
Use to describe practices or behaviors deeply embedded in systems; often implies rigidity or lack of flexibility.
Common Phrases:
institutionalized bias, become institutionalized, deeply institutionalized
Etymology:
Derived from "institution," from Latin *institutio* ("arrangement"), and the suffix "-ize," meaning to make or become.
Examples:
- 1. The new policy became institutionalized within months.
- 2. Many criticize the institutionalized inequality in the system.
- 3. His behavior was a result of being institutionalized for years.
- 4. The practice is so institutionalized that change seems impossible.