public affairs

American  

noun

1. (used with a plural verb) matters of general interest or concern, especially those dealing with current social or political issues.

2. (used with a singular verb) the field of study dealing with current social or political issues.

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Etymology

Origin of public affairs

First recorded in 1605–15

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

public affairs

"He's a young, energetic former president" who is still "very loved and trusted, certainly among Democrats, but even more broadly," Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, told AFP.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

“Jalen Hurts’s health was always made the first priority,” said Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president of public affairs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

In my work as a professor of politics and public affairs, I pay close attention to the stories Americans tell about their past and the ways those stories shape civic identity in the present.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

As a former assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, McLaughlin was known for ferociously defending the Trump administration's immigration policies on US airwaves.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

It violated the core of virtue and disinterestedness presumed essential for anyone properly equipped to oversee public affairs.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

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