local government
Americannoun
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the administration of the civic affairs of a city, town, or district by its inhabitants rather than by the state or country at large.
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the governing body of a town or district.
noun
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government of the affairs of counties, towns, etc, by locally elected political bodies
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the US equivalent of local authority
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of local government
First recorded in 1835–45
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Angela Rayner, the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, told the BBC she was "appalled by the horrific rise of antisemitism in the UK".
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
At the Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro where damage included a partially collapsed smokestack, the local government said that nine people were unaccounted for.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the leader of Madrid’s local government, earlier this week described the Madrid wildfires as perhaps “the worst natural catastrophe in Spain’s history.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Lehigh Acres lacks a local government and is straining to keep up with growth as roads, water lines and services fall behind.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
The meeting between the highest local government official and militant black leaders was itself an important concession, an act of good faith on Grabarek’s part that surprised the black community.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
