# structural

/ˈstɹəktʃɝəɫ/ (US) · /stɹˈʌktʃəɹəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/structural
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. physical construction

adjective · CEFR B2

relating to the physical parts that hold a building or object together.

For teachers: relating to the physical framework or load-bearing components of a construction.

- The earthquake caused serious structural damage to the old bridge.
- The engineer identified several structural flaws in the foundation that would require immediate reinforcement to prevent a total collapse.

### 2. systems and organization

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

relating to the way a system, organization, or society is organized.

For teachers: relating to the underlying organization or essential framework of a system, society, or economy.

- The company needs structural changes to improve how different departments work together.
- Economists argue that the country's high unemployment rate is a structural issue rather than a temporary result of the recent recession.

### 3. construction steel

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

strong pieces of metal used to build the frame of a building.

For teachers: refers to structural steel or other load-bearing components used in the construction industry.

- The crane lifted the heavy structurals into place for the new skyscraper.
- The procurement officer ordered several tons of high-grade structurals to ensure the project met the new safety regulations.

Usage: Usually used as a collective noun in the construction trade.

## Examples

- The earthquake caused serious structural damage to the old bridge.
- The company needs structural changes to its management team to improve how decisions are made.
- While the surface-level symptoms of the economic crisis were clear, the underlying structural weaknesses in the banking sector took much longer for regulators to identify and address.

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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.