the powers that be

idiom

: the people who decide what is allowed or acceptable in a group, organization, etc.

The students wanted to have a big party, but the powers that be didn't approve.

Examples of the powers that be in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At the very least, perhaps the powers that be at school could get together with the heads of kids’ sports and clubs to have a discussion. —Melissa Willets, Parents, 2 Apr. 2024

Nobody knows Rick and Michonne better than Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira, and to back that up, the powers that be wisely installed the iconic zombie-fighting actors as executive producers on The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. —Josh Wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2024

Clearly, the powers that be were aware that landing Queen Bey would be a tall ask. —Kyle Denis, Billboard, 13 Dec. 2023

The Skydance deal is understood to be attractive to the powers that be at Paramount Global because of the familiarity factor. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024

Luckily, the powers that be at the website-building company Squarespace wanted in on all the fun and featured the two in an endearing father-daughter teaser featuring the duo riffing on attempting to make a website. —Rob Ledonne, Rolling Stone, 12 Feb. 2024

And just to signal to audiences that there is plenty more to be explored with this character, should the powers that be greenlight a sequel, Soto included a mid-credits scene that has larger implications for the future of the DCU. —Nick Romano, EW.com, 18 Aug. 2023

This single episode helps the powers that be at networks determine whether a potential show has enough promise to warrant a full season order. —Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 1 Feb. 2024

If the powers that be wish to preserve the odious sequel rule, treating individual characters’ existence as the litmus test, then fine. —Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2024