the powers that be
idiom
: the people who decide what is allowed or acceptable in a group, organization, etc.
The students wanted to have a big party, but the powers that be didn't approve.
Examples of the powers that be in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Buckley fretted over getting enough songs together to reward the faith that the powers that be had in him upon signing.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 Jan. 2025
Just as each choice Mark makes appears logical enough to go along with, each action Mark takes still leads him back to his desk job — which makes each move seem like it’s been anticipated, to some degree, by the powers that be.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Jan. 2025
Álvarez convinced the powers that be to return to post-production after the movie's cinematic release to rework some of the visuals before the domestic launch.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 15 Jan. 2025
Streaming on Disney+ disney+ The Penguin The story goes that Matt Reeves pitched Warner Bros. on more Penguin in the sequel to his 2022 hit The Batman, but the powers that be preferred giving the character his own spinoff series.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2024
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David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 Jan. 2025
Just as each choice Mark makes appears logical enough to go along with, each action Mark takes still leads him back to his desk job — which makes each move seem like it’s been anticipated, to some degree, by the powers that be.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Jan. 2025
Álvarez convinced the powers that be to return to post-production after the movie's cinematic release to rework some of the visuals before the domestic launch.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 15 Jan. 2025
Streaming on Disney+ disney+ The Penguin The story goes that Matt Reeves pitched Warner Bros. on more Penguin in the sequel to his 2022 hit The Batman, but the powers that be preferred giving the character his own spinoff series.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the powers that be
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“The powers that be.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20powers%20that%20be. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.
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