agency
Americannoun
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agencies
plural
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an organization, company, or bureau that provides a particular service.
We are a nonprofit agency for people experiencing food insecurity.
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a company having a franchise to represent another.
Perhaps we should be looking for a new advertising agency.
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a governmental bureau or administrative division, or an office that represents it.
My internship at the FDA led to job opportunities with other federal agencies.
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the place of business of an agent.
If you stop by the agency tomorrow, we can go over the details of the land sale.
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the duty or function of an agent.
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the relationship between a principal and an agent.
Investment firms must incentivize proper agency so that fund managers prioritize the investor’s interests over their own.
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the state of being in action or of exerting power; operation.
the agency of divine Providence.
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the capacity to act or exert power.
We may have our free agency, but we are responsible for our choices.
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a means of exerting power or influence; instrumentality.
nominated by the agency of friends.
- Synonyms:
- intercession
noun
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a business or other organization providing a specific service
an employment agency
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the place where an agent conducts business
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the business, duties, or functions of an agent
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action, power, or operation
the agency of fate
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intercession or mediation
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one of the administrative organizations of a government
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of agency
First recorded in 1650–60; from Medieval Latin agentia “ability,” from Latin ag(ere) “to do, drive” + -entia -ency
Explanation
An agency usually provides a service, like an aid organization or a government bureau. If you're looking for a job, an employment agency might be able to help. The Latin word agere means "to do or manage," and it's a fitting ancestor for agency, a word that means an institution that manages or specializes in something. As a secret agent, you might work for the CIA, or Central Intelligence Agency. I hope you look good in black. The noun agency also refers to the power or ability to do something, as in the William McKinley quote, "War should never be entered upon until every agency of peace has failed.”
Vocabulary lists containing agency
"The Harlem Renaissance"
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President Obama's Speech on the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington
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Word Generation Social Studies - Complex Questions Related to American Democracy
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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.
See Examples For:
The C-130 Hercules plane left the Indonesian capital Jakarta for East Kalimantan province on Thursday to join local water-bombing efforts, the Indonesian disaster agency chief said.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
His wife, Caterina Varzi, and children Bonifacio and Beatrice Brass confirmed the director’s death to Italian press agency Ansa.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
The online travel agency now expects annual revenue to be $16.37 billion to $16.43 billion, up from its previous guidance of $16.05 billion to $16.22 billion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
China's climate agency has warned of sea surface temperatures continuing to rise over the next three months because of the El Niño.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
They were on a mission for the National Security Agency—the hush-hush government intelligence agency where William had worked before his retirement, and which he still sometimes served.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
The effort involved 20 professional organizations, 18 international experts, including representatives from regulatory agencies, and two patient advocacy organizations.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
The agencies, along with a range of cyber analysts, said that the hack - like similar breaches before it - bore the signs of having been orchestrated by North Korea.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
Rating agencies, including S&P and Kroll, downgraded the city to a “negative” outlook.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
EU spokesman Thomas Regnier said EU agencies were also holding meetings on Tuesday with national authorities on "how to best respond to this collectively".
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
This could only be accomplished if large foundations and international agencies became more involved.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
