council

noun

ˈkau̇n(t)-səl How to pronounce council (audio)
Definition of councilnext
1
as in meeting
a coming together of a number of persons for a specified purpose a war council attended by the top commanders of each of the armed services

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2
as in organization
a group of persons formally joined together for some common interest the neighborhood council decided to campaign for a new park

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3
as in symposium
a meeting featuring a group discussion summoned to a council to discuss ways that the state could improve medical care for the elderly

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4
as in affiliate
a local unit of an organization the scout's own council chose to ignore the national organization's discriminatory policies

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5
as in consultation
an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue an unscheduled council in the judge's chambers

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of council Major Wall Street and technology companies—including JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, BlackRock, Meta, and Alphabet—have no executives sitting on the council. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026 Plan for mini-storage facility presented Steve Hansen, the former Sacramento council member, acknowledged the obvious during a presentation during Thursday’s meeting on behalf of Tourbineau through his work with Lighthouse Public Affairs. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026 These youth councils ensure young people’s perspectives, priorities, and experiences are considered while legislation is being drafted – instead of after it’s already put into practice. — Darla Silva, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 On Monday, council discussed the implications of the limitations. — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for council
Recent Examples of Synonyms for council
  1. meeting
  2. organization
  3. symposium
  4. affiliate
  5. consultation
  6. gathering
  7. institute
  8. seminar
Noun
  • The rare meeting underscored Washington's willingness to reopen high-level diplomatic channels with Moscow, even as European allies have intended to keep the nation isolated while the war continues.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The board is expected to appoint poll workers, approve the notice of election and hold a public test of voting equipment during upcoming meetings in September.
    — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of meeting
Noun
  • Because solutions are designed with model-agnostic architecture, organizations can adopt future AI innovations without rebuilding their underlying systems.
    — Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Thousands of others stand to ride the wave of the trillion-dollar wealth transfer, including billionaires’ siblings, grandchildren, and organizations tied to philanthropic endeavors like non-profits and education institutions.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of organization
Noun
  • Those reading the tea leaves even focused on how Warsh kicked off his speech at the economic policy symposium sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
    — Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Instead, the group has donated to the University of Florida’s foundation and has helped to underwrite McCurdy’s annual kratom symposium, attended by about 100 scientists, to promote research into kratom’s therapeutic potential.
    — Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of symposium
Noun
  • As the affiliate industry grows, particularly for fashion brands and beauty brands which increasingly route a growing share of sales through such links, the answer is getting harder to parse.
    — Tom Matsuda, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • He was designated for assignment by the Mets in late April and played 16 games for Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk before being released on June 12.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of affiliate
Noun
  • Thomas Mach Interiors, of Simsbury, painted the interior and donated a consultation and project management services at the school.
    — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Family life Harald dated Sonja Haraldsen for nine years before King Olav V, after consultation with the Norwegian Parliament, gave permission for the couple to marry.
    — James Frater, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of consultation
Noun
  • The gathering brought together leaders of the 10-member bloc, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The company described its involvement as spanning recovery infrastructure at a combat sports event, community and advisory support at a private athlete gathering, and hydration and cool-down tools at a full-scale festival afterparty.
    — Ethan M. Stone, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of gathering
Noun
  • While higher earners had been spending more using credit cards, the institute said the gap across income classes began narrowing in May of this year.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
  • In July, CalMatters reported that the measure was written in a way that likely predetermines the single institute that will receive half the funds.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of institute
Noun
  • In 2012, Rich Global LLC, which sold seminars based on the lessons of the book, declared bankruptcy after a judge awarded $24 million in damages to one of the company’s former business partners.
    — Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Jim Ross will also share his fishing wisdom and give away a half-day fishing experience on the Indian River valued at $400 during each seminar.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of seminar

Browse Nearby Words

couloirs
council
councils
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Cite this Entry

“Council.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/council. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on council

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about council

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