executive agreement

American  

noun

U.S. Government.

1. an agreement, usually pertaining to administrative matters and less formal than an international treaty, made between chiefs of state without senatorial approval.

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Etymology

Origin of executive agreement

First recorded in 1940–45

Compare meaning

How does executive-agreement compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• executive agreement vs. treaty

Example Sentences

Earlier this year, a senior departmental official said that executive agreement was needed to extend funding for the holiday food payments beyond Easter 2022.

From BBC • May 16, 2022

Even a sole executive agreement often requires subsequent funding from Congress in order to be carried out, and funding calls for majority support from the House and Senate.

From Textbooks • Jul. 28, 2021

The State Department also has to determine whether it must ask the Senate for its advice and consent or whether it can simply join Kigali as an executive agreement.

From Scientific American • Nov. 29, 2017

Unlike a treaty, an executive agreement does not require ratification by the Senate.

From Slate • Apr. 22, 2016

It is altogether apparent in view of developments like these that the executive agreement power, especially when it is supported by Congressional legislation, today overlaps the treaty-making power.

From The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation Annotations of Cases Decided by the Supreme Court of the United States to June 30, 1952 by Corwin, Edward Samuel