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

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

West had initially only pitched X to the powers that be at A24 but had ideas for a bigger trilogy in the back of his mind. —

Andrew Webster, The Verge, 12 Oct. 2024 Small wonder that the powers that be refused to rest until every pirate was reformed, jailed, hanged, or drowned. —

Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024 The federal government and numerous state governments have cracked down on academics, activists, and journalists who challenge the powers that be. —

Milan Vaishnav, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2021 But that hasn’t stopped the powers that be from plugging along, trying to create a follow-up that would recapture the magic that Cameron and Scott created. —

Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 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 5 Nov. 2024.

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