administration

noun

ad·​min·​is·​tra·​tion əd-ˌmi-nə-ˈstrā-shən 

(ˌ)ad-

1

: performance of executive duties : management

worked in the administration of a hospital

2

: the act or process of administering something

the administration of justice

the administration of medication

3

: the execution of public affairs as distinguished from policymaking

4

a

: a body of persons who administer

b

often capitalized : a group constituting the political executive in a presidential government

a member of the Bush administration

c

: a governmental agency or board

the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

5

: the term of office of an administrative officer or body

during the first Clinton administration

Synonyms

• government
• governance
• rule
• regime

Examples of administration in a Sentence

She has a degree in business administration.

The editorial criticizes the college's administration for not taking a stand on the issue.

Her lecture compared the policies of this administration to the previous one.

Administration officials refused to comment.

At first, the administration denied the allegations.

The drug has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

oral administration of the drug

Recent Examples on the Web

Nor can this ruling be reconciled with the Court’s decisions in many other cases — including recent rulings that allowed lower court orders to block pro-immigrant policies under the Biden administration. —Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2025

Through the Department of Government Efficiency and other efforts, his administration has worked to reduce the federal workforce, and last week began threatening that a shutdown could be used as a mechanism for firing more workers. —Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025

Former President Joe Biden spearheaded a nationwide student loan forgiveness effort during his administration, managing to cancel student loans for more than 5 millions Americans. —Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025

And the president is meeting with the Office of Management and Budget to try to understand what agencies are essential, what agencies do not align with the administration's priorities and values. —Steve Inskeep, NPR, 3 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English administracioun, borrowed from Anglo-French amynistraciun, administracioun, borrowed from Latin administrātiōn-, administrātiō, from administrāre "to administer" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing administration

• anti-administration
• business administration
• co-administration
• letters of administration
• self-administration

Rhymes for administration

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• adulteration
• affiliation

Kids Definition

administration

noun

ad·​min·​is·​tra·​tion əd-ˌmin-ə-ˈstrā-shən 

ad-

1

: the act or process of administering

2

: performance of supervising duties : management

3

: the work involved in managing public affairs as distinguished from policy-making

4

a

: a group of persons who administer

b

capitalized : the executive branch of a government

Medical Definition

administration

noun

ad·​min·​is·​tra·​tion əd-ˌmin-ə-ˈstrā-shən, (ˌ)ad- 

1

: the act of giving medication

administration of a dose of antitoxin

—Morris Fishbein

2

: the direction of the execution of something

administration of a quarantine law

—V. G. Heiser

Legal Definition

administration

noun

ad·​min·​is·​tra·​tion əd-ˌmi-nə-ˈstrā-shən 

1

: the act or process of administering

the administration of justice

2

a

: the management and disposal under court authority of the estate of a deceased person by an executor or an administrator

b

: the management of an estate (as of a minor) by a trustee or guardian appointed to take charge of it

c

: the management of assets held in a trust

3

: the execution of public affairs as distinguished from policy-making

4

a

: a body of persons (as of an organization) who administer

b

often capitalized : a group that makes up the executive branch of a presidential government

c

: a governmental agency or board

5

: the term of office of an administrative officer or body