struc·ture
ˈstrək-chər 
1
: the action of building : construction
2
a
: something (such as a building) that is constructed
b
: something arranged in a definite pattern of organization
a rigid totalitarian structure—
J. L. Hess
J. L. Hessleaves and other plant structures
3
: manner of construction : makeup
Gothic in structure
4
a
: the arrangement of particles or parts in a substance or body
soil structure
molecular structure
b
: organization of parts as dominated by the general character of the whole
economic structure
personality structure
c
: coherent form or organization
tried to give some structure to the children's lives
5
: the aggregate of elements of an entity in their relationships to each other
the structure of a language
structured; structuring
ˈstrək-chə-riŋ
ˈstrək-shriŋ
Examples of structure in a Sentence
Noun
They studied the compound's molecular structure.
The film had a simple narrative structure.
the structure of a plant
the social structure of a college campus
changes to the company's power structure
The structure was damaged by fire.
Children need a lot of structure in their lives.
Verb
She structured the essay chronologically.
Recent Examples on the Web
Michele Steeb, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
The Lee’s Summit police officer received the Hero Medal on a stage with dozens of American flags as the backdrop, surrounded by Times Square’s iconic structures, massive digital billboards and high-energy atmosphere.
—Janice Phelan, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2025
Nadav Ziv, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
What far fewer people understand is how Trump’s crypto ventures are structured on a corporate level.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for structure
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
The very elements that saved Michelle’s life—structure, safety, mentorship, and faith—are absent from California’s Housing First mandate.
—Michele Steeb, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
The Lee’s Summit police officer received the Hero Medal on a stage with dozens of American flags as the backdrop, surrounded by Times Square’s iconic structures, massive digital billboards and high-energy atmosphere.
—Janice Phelan, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
And with a few canny pointers on how LLMs work and how to effectively structure prompts, AI can actually aid us in verifying posts on social media and offer missing context.
—Nadav Ziv, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
What far fewer people understand is how Trump’s crypto ventures are structured on a corporate level.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for structure
Cite this Entry
“Structure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/structure. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
structure
1 of 2 noun
struc·ture
ˈstrək-chər
1
: the action of building : construction
2
: something constructed or arranged in a definite pattern of organization
3
: manner of construction : the arrangement or relationship of elements (as particles, parts, or organs) in a substance, body, or system
soil structure
the structure of a plant
molecular structure
social structure
the structure of a language
structure
2 of 2 verb
structured; structuring
ˈstrək-chə-riŋ
ˈstrək-shriŋ
: to form into a structure : organize
Medical Definition
structure
noun
struc·ture
ˈstrək-chər
1
: something (as an anatomical part) arranged in a definite pattern of organization
2
a
: the arrangement of particles or parts in a substance or body
molecular structure
b
: organization of parts as dominated by the general character of the whole
personality structure
3
: the aggregate of elements of an entity in their relationships to each other
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