# correctional

/kɝˈɛkʃənəɫ/ (US) · /kəɹˈɛkʃənəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/correctional
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. relating to prisons

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal · American English

used to describe things related to prisons and the way criminals are punished or helped to change.

For teachers: relating to the treatment and rehabilitation of people who have committed crimes, particularly through imprisonment.

- He spent ten years working as a correctional officer at the state prison.
- The government proposed a significant increase in the budget for correctional facilities to address the issue of overcrowding in the state's prisons.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun it modifies, such as 'officer', 'facility', or 'system'.

### 2. intended for correction

adjective · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

intended to fix or improve something that is wrong.

For teachers: intended to produce a correction or improvement in behavior or a specific condition.

- The teacher suggested some correctional exercises to help the student improve their posture.
- The physical therapist designed a series of correctional movements to address the patient's spinal misalignment over several months.

Usage: In this general sense, 'corrective' is much more common in modern English.

## Examples

- The correctional center holds five hundred inmates.
- The government announced a new plan to reform the correctional system and reduce overcrowding in local jails.
- Critics argue that the current correctional model focuses too heavily on punishment rather than rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.