institutionalize

/ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənəˌlaɪz/

//ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənəˌlaɪz// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"institutionalize" is a 16-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“institutionalize” is uncommon English (frequency #80,567 among 17,902 “I” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#80,567
frequency rank, English
17,902
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To establish as a normal practice.

Key facts for institutionalize
PropertyValue
Headwordinstitutionalize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənəˌlaɪz/
Letters16
Frequency rank#80,567
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “institutionalize” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). institutionalize lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

institutionalize is uncommon English at frequency #80,567 among 17,902 “I” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənəˌlaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for institutionalize in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From institutional + -ize. The correct English form is institutionalize, spelled I-N-S-T-I-T-U-T-I-O-N-A-L-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To establish as a normal practice.
  2. 2
    To commit a person to confinement in an institution.

Etymology

From institutional + -ize.

This word in other languages

institutionnaliser(Français)institutionalisieren(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "institutionalize"?
"institutionalize" is spelled I-N-S-T-I-T-U-T-I-O-N-A-L-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənəˌlaɪz/.
What does "institutionalize" mean?
As a verb, "institutionalize" means: To establish as a normal practice.
How do you pronounce "institutionalize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "institutionalize" is /ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənəˌlaɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "institutionalize"?
From institutional + -ize. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “institutionalize”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-S-T-I-T-U-T-I-O-N-A-L-I-Z-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənəˌlaɪz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list