C1idiompoliticsIELTS-friendly
the powers that be
USUK
the people in authority who make important decisions, seen as distant from ordinary people
Slightly humorous or critical, used when you don't name the officials or managers. 'Be' never changes, and the verb after it is plural.
In context
The powers that be have decided to close the old market for a shopping mall.
We asked for longer library hours, but the powers that be said no.
More idioms about politics
- a double standarda rule applied more strictly to one group than to another
- a grey areaa situation where the rules are unclear, so nobody is sure what is allowed
- a hidden agendaa secret reason or plan behind what someone says or does
- a hot potatoa difficult issue that people disagree about and nobody wants to deal with
- a lame ducka politician or government with little real power, often near the end of a term in office