power broker

noun

|Updated on: 11 Aug 2018

Definition of power broker

: a person (as in politics) able to exert strong influence through control of votes or individuals

See power broker defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of power broker from the Web

He’s saved Bashar Assad, fortified long-term military bases, and replaced the U.S. as chief power broker in the region.

— the editorial board, WSJ, "What Putin Wants From Trump," 12 July 2018
Some of Russia's newest hardware is expected to be on display, and the Victory Day review sends a pointed message about Russia's muscular new foreign policy, and Putin's new role as a power broker in the Middle East.

— nathan hodge, CNN, "Why this year's Victory Day parade in Red Square matters," 8 May 2018
And the illness of a military power broker in Libya threatens more political turbulence and a reversal in the yearlong increase in Libyan exports.

— clifford krauss, New York Times, "Trump Criticizes OPEC, Calling Oil Prices ‘Artificially’ High," 20 Apr. 2018
And sister-and-brother corporate power brokers (Malin Akerman and Jake Lacy, playing antagonist with prime-time soap excess that falls flat compared with Morgan’s smirking farmhouse-henhouse-outhouse riff).

— tom russo, BostonGlobe.com, "A brand of Rock to soothe the savage beast," 11 Apr. 2018
Democratic power broker George Norcross, a backer of the schools, in 2016 announced a fund to pay for construction and renovation projects.

— maddie hanna, Philly.com, "In N.J., new administration giving 'pause' to charter schools," 5 Feb. 2018
For his part, Scott has also aligned himself closely with the agenda of the sugar industry, a long-time campaign donor, a power broker in Tallahassee and a key employer for some of the state's poorest agricultural communities.

— david smiley and mary ellen klas, miamiherald, "Florida’s politicians use slimy algae to muddy each other," 11 July 2018
Israel is demanding that Russia, which played a decisive role in turning the tide of Syria’s civil war in support of Assad and is now acting as a power broker in the country, banish Iran from Syria.

— dina kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, "Syrian civil war, on Israel's doorstep, brings swirl of changing attitudes," 11 July 2018
Waning pride But the passion faded due to poor results and general dissatisfaction with the influence of Zdravko Mamic, Dinamo Zagreb's former chief and the man considered the real power broker of Croatian football.

— lajla veselica and nicolas gaudichet, chicagotribune.com, "Croatia's World Cup quarterfinals run revives national pride," 5 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'power broker.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.