council

noun

ˈkau̇n(t)-səl How to pronounce council (audio)
Definition of councilnext
1
as in meeting
a coming together of a number of persons for a specified purpose a war council attended by the top commanders of each of the armed services

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2
as in organization
a group of persons formally joined together for some common interest the neighborhood council decided to campaign for a new park

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3
as in symposium
a meeting featuring a group discussion summoned to a council to discuss ways that the state could improve medical care for the elderly

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4
as in affiliate
a local unit of an organization the scout's own council chose to ignore the national organization's discriminatory policies

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5
as in consultation
an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue an unscheduled council in the judge's chambers

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of council The Balboa Peninsula, which Stapleton represents on the council, has historically been an infamous hot spot for public drinking, disruptive parties and brawls throughout the summer and especially during the Fourth of July. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026 The council unanimously approved Opus’ withdrawal of its application. — Mars King, Twin Cities, 4 July 2026 Any restrictions implemented by the mayor would still require council approval. — Idaho Statesman, 3 July 2026 The city clerk is responsible for maintaining government records while assisting the mayor and City Council with administrative duties inside and outside council meetings. — Zaire Breedlove, Charlotte Observer, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for council
Recent Examples of Synonyms for council
  1. meeting
  2. organization
  3. symposium
  4. affiliate
  5. consultation
  6. gathering
  7. institute
  8. seminar
Noun
  • An explosion went off near the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus on Tuesday, where French President Emmanuel Macron had spent the night ahead of a meeting with his Syrian counterpart, according to French and Syrian media.
    — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • The build-up to this meeting has been tense, with defense spending remaining a contentious topic.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 7 July 2026
Definition of meeting
Noun
  • Giselle Garcia, program director for NorCal Resist, said the arrest data largely tracks with the organization’s own informal counts though emphasized much enforcement goes unaccounted for if families aren’t willing to speak up.
    — Mathew Miranda July 9, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
  • Success there could help pave the way for wider adoption across military maintenance organizations and other defense sustainment operations.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 July 2026
Definition of organization
Noun
  • Power connections, which are fewer in number and take up more surface area, are placed on the sides of the memory cube, University of Tokyo doctoral student Yuki Mitarai said at the symposium.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 8 July 2026
  • Accounts of Plato’s symposium have typically focused more on the philosophy of love part than the dinner party part, as if what matters is the content of the various speeches, and not their context.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
Definition of symposium
Noun
  • Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
    — Dan Avery, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • Crawford is hoping to work his way up to an affiliate, but finishing this season healthy would be a massive victory in and of itself.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
Definition of affiliate
Noun
  • Consider reaching out to these locations about serving as practical access points for basic health services, such as mobile clinics, periodic screenings or connected health kiosks that enable remote consultations.
    — Sas Mukherjee, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Visitors are given an initial consultation followed by medical evaluations to assess their health before medics and therapists tailor a program suited to their individual needs.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
Definition of consultation
Noun
  • The bar also hosts weekly vinyl collector gatherings around a long communal table and a DJ booth turntable on which guests are welcome to pop on their own selection from the 6,000-strong record collection.
    — Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
  • Then the Senate Armed Services chair reversed himself, calling Wilson on Thursday to say that Charleston could not host the gathering after all.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of gathering
Noun
  • The institute takes its place among like-minded others as a strong commitment to help end this period of division and chart a brighter course for our country.
    — Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 8 July 2026
  • Over time, the institute says, the constant checking can pull attention away from what your body is actually telling you.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026
Definition of institute
Noun
  • Coaching seminars held by the Norwegian Football Federation have been known to play a short video showing a 16-year-old boy taking part in a shooting drill.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 10 July 2026
  • For an industry grappling with retention, burnout, and a widening confidence gap among new graduates, that kind of practical, repeatable structure is worth more than another seminar on empathy in the abstract.
    — Kwame Christian Esq, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of seminar

Browse Nearby Words

couloirs
council
councils
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Cite this Entry

“Council.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/council. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on council

Nglish: Translation of council for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about council

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