administration

American  

[ad-min-uh-stray-shuhn] / ædˌmɪn əˈstreɪ ʃən /

noun

• administrations
  plural

1. the management of any office, business, or organization; direction.

2. the function of a political state in exercising its governmental duties.

3. the duty or duties of an administrator in exercising the executive functions of the position.

4. the management by an administrator of such duties.

5. a body of administrators, especially in government.

6. Often Administration the executive branch of the U.S. government during a particular president's term of office: The current administration has threatened to veto the new bill.

   The Reagan administration followed President Carter's.

   The current administration has threatened to veto the new bill.

7. the period of service of a governmental administrator or body of governmental administrators.

8. any group entrusted with executive or administrative powers.

   the administration of a college.

9. Law. management of a decedent's estate by an executor or administrator or of a trust estate by a trustee.

10. an act of dispensing, especially formally.

    administration of the sacraments.

11. supervision of the taking of an oath or the like.

12. application, as of a salve or medicine.

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administration British  

/ ədˌmɪnɪˈstreɪʃən /

noun

1. management of the affairs of an organization, such as a business or institution

2. the duties of an administrator

3. the body of people who administer an organization

4. the conduct of the affairs of government

5. term of office: often used of presidents, governments, etc

6. the executive branch of government along with the public service; the government as a whole

7. (often capital) the political executive, esp of the US; the government

8. a government board, agency, authority, etc

9. property law

   1. the conduct or disposal of the estate of a deceased person

   2. the management by a trustee of an estate subject to a trust

10. 1. the administering of something, such as a sacrament, oath, or medical treatment

    2. the thing that is administered

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antiadministration
  noun
• misadministration
  noun
• preadministration
  noun
• self-administration
  noun
• subadministration
  noun
• superadministration
  noun
• administrational
  adjective
• administrative
  adjective
• proadministration
  adjective
• administratively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• administrations
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of administration

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English administracio(u)n, from Latin administrātiōn- (stem of administrātiō ) “service”; see administrate, -ion

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Explanation

Use the word administration to describe the group of people running an organization: “University administration declared Wednesday a snow day and sent everyone home early.” You’ve probably heard the noun administration used to describe a political group, such as the Bush administration or the Obama administration. It can also be used to refer to the daily activities involved in running a group or a program: “Carla handles the administration of the summer camp.”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

administration administrations

I suspected the administration would back down—as indeed it did.

From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2026

However, plans for a new university heritage and visitor centre, external, to be built in the Quad on the site of the current administration building, are going ahead.

From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026

She wrote on the platform: “I did not and would never consent to this administration running my fanart through AI and posting it. Can’t even believe I’m saying these words.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

The U.S. administration has supported investment in AI, which continues to provide a powerful structural tailwind, he says in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

One administration official went down to the basement and was alarmed by the men and their military equipment.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge

On Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the time had come to reunify the eastern and western administrations, hinting that an announcement could come soon.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026

Balliet worked for various administrations, including Trump’s first, before retiring in 2024.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026

Mellon served through Harding’s administration, then continued in the post under Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover, making Mellon the only person to lead the Treasury during three different administrations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

That tendency culminated in the now-legendary 2025 National Security Strategy, a document that offers most presidential administrations a chance to deliver boilerplate language about shared values, human rights and democracy.

From Salon ● Oct. 19, 2026

Lincoln’s responsible bodyguard William Crook had a more esteemed career, working in the White House for more than fifty years—a time that spanned the administrations of Abraham Lincoln to Woodrow Wilson.

From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly

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Related Words

• board
• bureau
• cabinet
• committee
• department
• executive
• legislature
• management
• ministry
• presidency

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