institutionalize
institutionalize — verb
- institutionalizepresent simple I / you / we / they
- institutionalizeshe / she / it
- institutionalizedpast simple
- institutionalizing-ing form
1. to make a practice or custom into a lasting and accepted feature of a community,
to make a practice or custom into a lasting and accepted feature of a community, organization, or system
What began as a casual Friday gathering was institutionalized as a weekly company tradition.
passive: be institutionalized as [tradition/practice]
The university institutionalized its mentorship program after seeing how much students benefited from it.
Leo believes the school should institutionalize the practice of free breakfast for all students.
Several countries have institutionalized paid parental leave as a legal right for working parents.
The city council voted to institutionalize the annual music festival with a dedicated budget.
- formalize
more concrete and specific; making something officially recognized
- standardize
focuses on making things uniform across an organization
- codify
implies writing rules or laws into a formal system
- establish
broader and more neutral; less focus on permanence
文法句型
institutionalize + object
institutionalize + object + as [something]
be institutionalized
用法筆記
Subject is usually an organization, government, or society — not an individual person. Common in academic writing, political discussion, and business contexts where formal systems are being described.
常見錯誤
2. to place a person who requires ongoing medical or personal care into a long-term
to place a person who requires ongoing medical or personal care into a long-term facility such as a nursing home or psychiatric hospital
After her stroke, the family institutionalized their grandmother in a nursing home near their house.
collocation: institutionalize [someone] in [facility]
Tunde's grandfather needs full-time care, but the family hopes to avoid institutionalizing him.
Many countries now try to avoid institutionalizing children with disabilities, preferring home-based support instead.
The decision to institutionalize a family member is never easy, said the hospital social worker.
文法句型
institutionalize + object + in/at [facility]
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice (someone is institutionalized). Can carry a negative connotation, as it often implies the person is being placed in a facility against their preference or removed from community life.