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
While the interiors of the two jets on display Tuesday would be more than suitable for most of us, Ricci is hoping there is a sector of elite flyers who will notice the current G700 interiors don’t reflect the normal flair Flexjet seeks to offer its discerning clientele.
—Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Yet there has always been an underlying tension between the colonial-era architecture and the hotel’s increasingly contemporary African clientele.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 17 Sep. 2025
In Paradise Bay, competition is fierce to attract high-end clientele and the standout offering at Maxx Royal is its two-story, 5,750-square-meter spa.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025
The variety of music merchandise the business offered attracted a large clientele.
—Sarah Biegelsen, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 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.
Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Yet there has always been an underlying tension between the colonial-era architecture and the hotel’s increasingly contemporary African clientele.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 17 Sep. 2025
In Paradise Bay, competition is fierce to attract high-end clientele and the standout offering at Maxx Royal is its two-story, 5,750-square-meter spa.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025
The variety of music merchandise the business offered attracted a large clientele.
—Sarah Biegelsen, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clientele
Cite this Entry
“Clientele.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clientele. Accessed 21 Sep. 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