deep state

American  

[deep stayt] / ˈdip ˈsteɪt /

noun

1. a group of unelected officials in government agencies or private organizations who are believed by some to be secretly exerting undue or illegal influence on government policy.

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Example Sentences

Mojtaba Khamenei worked for decades in his shadow; he knows all the details about how the deep state works when it confronts external threats and internal upheaval.

From BBC

Lt-Col Trehubov told the BBC on Tuesday evening that fighting was still ongoing in the southern part of Hrabovske, but Deep State, a Ukrainian website monitoring the battlefield situation, said later that the village had been captured by Russian forces.

From BBC

Deep State's co-founder Roman Pohorily said that Russian troops have been pushing in those areas since March.

From BBC

For months, California’s public higher education institutions have braced for deep state funding cuts, fearing they would lead to reductions in student services, course offerings and even enrollment.

From Los Angeles Times

Everyone was trying to collect important things, and I was in a deep state of sadness and pain.

From Slate