office politics

American

[aw-fis pahl-i-tiks, ahf-is] / ˈɔ fɪs ˈpɑl ɪ tɪks, ˈɑf ɪs /

noun

the ways in which individuals in a business or workplace gain and hold social power; the interpersonal dynamics informed by and related to such unspoken power structures.

Example Sentences

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office politics

The first belongs to the nurturers: people who invested energy and care into helping me improve my craft, guided me through the nuances of office politics, or lifted me after a career faceplant.

From Salon ● May 9, 2025

For much of its existence, the cryptocurrency company nChain was governed by a golden rule of office politics: It was not a good idea to challenge Craig Steven Wright, the chief science officer.

From New York Times ● May 21, 2024

"But I really do enjoy going up there because things are much simpler, and there are no office politics."

From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2024

So much for a fun summer; she’s now learning the joys of a Los Angeles morning commute and cutthroat office politics at a fashion company called Libra.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2024

One coworker was openly hostile and competitive, the first time Jesse had ever encountered office politics.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023