clientele
noun
cli·en·tele
ˌklī-ən-ˈtel 
ˌklē-ən-,
also ˌklē-ˌän-
: a body of clients
a shop that caters to an exclusive clientele
Examples of clientele in a Sentence
… Gottfried had been complaining for months that our local clientele didn't have the class to appreciate the house.
—
Jane Smiley, Good Faith, 2003
The lunchtime clientele at TJ's was polymorphous as usual, as at District Court, though there was a higher percentage of respectable clients here—local business folk having lunch at one of the last downtown bars that served decent food but wasn't fancy.
—Tracy Kidder, Home Town, 1999
The collections shown last month not only had plenty of clothes for the couture clientele to choose from, but, even more importantly, they were loaded with multiple messages for the fashion community at large.
—Carrie Donovan, New York Times Magazine, 21 Feb. 1988
According to the State Department in-jokes, this was the most exclusive place in Washington. For its clientele was made up almost entirely of CIA and KGB agents watching one another watching other people.
—Erich Segal, The Class, (1985) 1986
The restaurant generally attracts an older clientele.
Jane Smiley, Good Faith, 2003
The lunchtime clientele at TJ's was polymorphous as usual, as at District Court, though there was a higher percentage of respectable clients here—local business folk having lunch at one of the last downtown bars that served decent food but wasn't fancy.
—Tracy Kidder, Home Town, 1999
The collections shown last month not only had plenty of clothes for the couture clientele to choose from, but, even more importantly, they were loaded with multiple messages for the fashion community at large.
—Carrie Donovan, New York Times Magazine, 21 Feb. 1988
According to the State Department in-jokes, this was the most exclusive place in Washington. For its clientele was made up almost entirely of CIA and KGB agents watching one another watching other people.
—Erich Segal, The Class, (1985) 1986
The restaurant generally attracts an older clientele.
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite the challenges that COVID-19 presented, Odyssey saw a surge in clientele seeking expert advice to navigate through the tumultuous times, indicating that adversity often steers businesses toward consulting and higher intelligence.
—Arthur Zaczkiewicz, WWD, 13 Jan. 2025
The hotel was torn down in 1929 and the new Waldorf Astoria Hotel opened in 1931 on Park Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets, setting the stage for an iconic hotel brand known worldwide for luxury and its high-end clientele.
—Roger Sands, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
Wasserman, which now has 3,000-plus employees and a sizable sports and entertainment clientele, has steadily grown its music roster since the acquisition of Paradigm Talent Agency’s North American live music representation business nearly four years ago.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Jan. 2025
The City’s Quiet Crackdown on Kava Bars By Chris Crowley
For the handful of New York City kava bars serving a largely sober clientele, the city’s concerns over the effects of kava and kratom has led to closures, trials, and the loss of permits.
—Curbed Editors, Curbed, 1 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for clientele 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Arthur Zaczkiewicz, WWD, 13 Jan. 2025
The hotel was torn down in 1929 and the new Waldorf Astoria Hotel opened in 1931 on Park Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets, setting the stage for an iconic hotel brand known worldwide for luxury and its high-end clientele.
—Roger Sands, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
Wasserman, which now has 3,000-plus employees and a sizable sports and entertainment clientele, has steadily grown its music roster since the acquisition of Paradigm Talent Agency’s North American live music representation business nearly four years ago.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Jan. 2025
The City’s Quiet Crackdown on Kava Bars By Chris Crowley
For the handful of New York City kava bars serving a largely sober clientele, the city’s concerns over the effects of kava and kratom has led to closures, trials, and the loss of permits.
—Curbed Editors, Curbed, 1 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for clientele
Dictionary Entries Near clientele
Cite this Entry
“Clientele.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clientele. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clientele
noun
cli·en·tele
ˌklī-ən-ˈtel
: a group of clients
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share