branches of government

Cultural  

1. The division of government into executive, legislative, and judicial branches. In the case of the federal government, the three branches were established by the Constitution. The executive branch consists of the president, the cabinet, and the various departments and executive agencies. The legislative branch consists of the two houses of Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives, and their staff. The judicial branch consists of the Supreme Court and the other federal courts.

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Example Sentences

In a statement given to police, Vorcaro said he had "friends in all branches of government."

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

In Vilnius, Vilmantas Vitkauskas runs the crisis management centre that brings together various branches of government and security services.

From BBC • Dec. 14, 2025

One major difference between the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian: The Kennedy Center’s board is appointed by the president, but the Smithsonian’s board consists of officials representing all three branches of government.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2025

There are nominally equal branches of government that provide important checks to the balance of power.

From Salon • May 18, 2025

I keep hoping she’ll invite Mrs. Hameed over for coffee, or to get their nails done while they discuss the three branches of government.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan