power politics

noun

plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: politics based primarily on the use of power (such as military and economic strength) as a coercive force rather than on ethical precepts

Examples of power politics in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Political corruption and power politics are never far away in the contemporary Philippines, a reality that ABS-CBN has experienced firsthand. Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024 With the Israel–Gaza War intensifying, Americans may lose focus on how Tehran is reshaping power politics in the Middle East through its alliances with Moscow and, perhaps more important, Beijing. Christian Schneider, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023 Diplomatic Onslaught The recent flurry of diplomacy centered on Cairo has marked something of a return to Egypt’s traditional role figuring prominently in every discussion over power politics across the region in the latter half of the 20th century. Mirette Magdy, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2023 My colleagues Jill Cowan, Serge F. Kovaleski and Leanne Abraham recently published an article about that process, and the bruising power politics involved in running a city of 3.8 million people. Soumya Karlamangla, New York Times, 12 Sep. 2023 Barely a year later, though, Ms. Raman ran into an adversary her grass-roots army was powerless to confront: the bruising power politics involved in running a city of 3.8 million people. Leanne Abraham, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2023 Policymakers who subscribed to liberal internationalism—the idea that trade, international institutions, or liberal norms can help build a world where power politics matter less—typically presented NATO’s expansion as a matter of democratic choice for smaller central and eastern European states. Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 6 Sep. 2022 Rutledge made explicit reference, too, the two means by which that region would exercise its oppression: military and naval might and power politics exploiting a weak constitution. Time, 3 July 2023 As any student of power politics or game theory knows, hegemons tend to beget alliances aimed at countering their overwhelming strength. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 30 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'power politics.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of power politics was in 1901

Dictionary Entries Near power politics

Cite this Entry

“Power politics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/power%20politics. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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