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

But the students’ work also generated acclaim from community members who praised their ingenuity and courage in holding the foundation accountable in the face of backlash from school administration. —Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025

In 2020, first lady Melania brought the most significant updates to the Rose Garden since the Kennedy administration, making headlines for changing up the flower beds, removing the Kennedys' crabapple trees and narrowing the lawn area to add a limestone walk around the border. —Kyler Alvord, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025

And in some cases, those arguments are idiosyncratic to the Trump administration specifically. —Tax Notes Staff, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025

The facts on the ground are such that a two-state solution—a U.S. policy objective for decades across Republican and Democratic administrations—is at best on life support and at worst already dead. —Zoltan Istvan, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Aug. 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