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 In an unsigned email, the nonprofit said the council no longer exists. — Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 Although Young is unopposed, James is facing challenges from Don Wagnon, who is retired from Lockheed Martin, and David Burke, in the Place 1 council race. — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026 City officials defended the report as a routine effort to inform council members about infrastructure investments. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026 Concacaf said Thursday its council approved the exceptional hosting arrangement for the Haitian Football Federation due to the ongoing security situation in Haiti. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 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 August meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky enraged many senior Russian officials.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
  • And his prescription is tighter discipline — a major theme of the four day party meeting.
    — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of meeting
Noun
  • An organization with Republican ties has distributed fliers promoting a socialist candidate, an apparent effort to pull support away from Brown.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Wagmor became famous in 2019 after the organization was featured on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show.
    — Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of organization
Noun
  • Some of the symposium's organizers, like Ashley Mason, a clinical psychologist at the University of California, San Francisco, acknowledge their goal is partly to dispel the whiff of wellness hype.
    — Will Stone, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026
  • For The Times) UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk’s statement to distance the university from a law school symposium on 9/11 has promoted growing faculty backlash over academic freedom.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of symposium
Noun
  • The president spoke with a local Fox affiliate Sunday while on the ground in Port Huron, Michigan, ahead of a campaign rally for downballot Republicans.
    — Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In October of that year, IRG’s affiliate Access Restoration Services would write a $100,000 check to RPOF.
    — Kate Payne, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of affiliate
Noun
  • The European Commission opened a public consultation on circular VAT in September of this year.
    — Cleo Levin, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Experts who are part of consultations expect the new policy to lay down clear and consistent rules, which will also help the industry overcome challenges around land acquisition and simplify a fragmented approval process.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of consultation
Noun
  • The gathering centered around a street vendor making elote to order and serving fresh, hot cocoa-like champurrado.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • With family gatherings and gift-giving, the holidays can be a great time to earn a stockpile of credit card points.
    — Ryley Amond, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of gathering
Noun
  • Monica Church was the institute’s executive director from 2022 to 2024, and Achilles remains a board member.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The state’s release does not set placement or wage targets for the new institute.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of institute
Noun
  • North Bergen officials have been holding seminars and passing out fliers to let residents know about their rights if they're stopped by ICE, including the right to remain silent.
    — Christine Sloan, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • What follows is an edited transcript of the next 30 minutes, during which my family conducted an impromptu seminar on feminism, hypocrisy, and the appropriate amount of clothing to wear while eating cereal.
    — Danielle Pergament, Allure, 19 Oct. 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 29 Oct. 2026.

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