1
as in meetings
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in organizations
a group of persons formally joined together for some common interest
the neighborhood council decided to campaign for a new park
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in seminars
a meeting featuring a group discussion
summoned to a council to discuss ways that the state could improve medical care for the elderly
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
5
as in discussions
an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue
an unscheduled council in the judge's chambers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of councils
Exacerbating the problem is that four town councils – Hebron, Lowell, Kingsbury and Pines – have yet to appoint a representative.
—
Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Tuesday’s decision made Sacramento City Council the 21st member to give the agreement a thumbs up, with about 10 more boards and councils still to go for the powerful partnership, or the Water Forum.
—Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 18 Mar. 2026
First, both councils should direct their staff to coordinate with each other and produce a joint staff report giving both city councils a common set of facts on the pros and cons of different options to make this intersection safer.
—Jerry Presley, Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2026
According to the report, 241 UK museums, universities, and councils continue to hold human remains, of which only 100 disclosed the exact number of individuals represented in their collections, totaling around 79,000.
—News Desk, Artforum, 18 Mar. 2026
Thousands of municipal councils remain to be elected, including in the French capital, Paris, and other major cities.
—ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026
Tong joined three Aquarion towns in Fairfield County, along two government councils in opposing the sale.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2026
He's suggested public hearings and hopes both towns' councils will add the question to their respective agendas.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 14 Mar. 2026
The Somer Valley Rediscovered partnership, which includes local town and parish councils, focuses on biodiversity conservation and community engagement with regional landscapes.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 13 Mar. 2026
Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Tuesday’s decision made Sacramento City Council the 21st member to give the agreement a thumbs up, with about 10 more boards and councils still to go for the powerful partnership, or the Water Forum.
—Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 18 Mar. 2026
First, both councils should direct their staff to coordinate with each other and produce a joint staff report giving both city councils a common set of facts on the pros and cons of different options to make this intersection safer.
—Jerry Presley, Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2026
According to the report, 241 UK museums, universities, and councils continue to hold human remains, of which only 100 disclosed the exact number of individuals represented in their collections, totaling around 79,000.
—News Desk, Artforum, 18 Mar. 2026
Thousands of municipal councils remain to be elected, including in the French capital, Paris, and other major cities.
—ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026
Tong joined three Aquarion towns in Fairfield County, along two government councils in opposing the sale.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2026
He's suggested public hearings and hopes both towns' councils will add the question to their respective agendas.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 14 Mar. 2026
The Somer Valley Rediscovered partnership, which includes local town and parish councils, focuses on biodiversity conservation and community engagement with regional landscapes.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for councils
Noun
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The teams split two previous meetings, so the winner Monday wins the tiebreaker if the teams finish tie.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
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Curtis Reigh, one of nine Republicans running for county commissioner, also cited the lack of public comment at board meetings as a reason for increased interest among candidates, including younger contenders.—
Rhiannon Evans,
Baltimore Sun,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Porter has also worked as a meteorological technical subject matter expert in for both government and commercial organizations around the world.—
Greg Porter,
San Francisco Chronicle,
26 Mar. 2026
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Volusia Valor Days returns for its third free annual event Saturday and Sunday with more than 40 working military vehicles, including tanks and artillery, living history displays, veterans’ organizations, first responders and more than 100 battlefield reenactors.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Visitors can learn about fishing during seminars from Capt.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
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Some of the vendors will also be hosting seminars and demonstrations during the weekend event.—
McClatchy,
Idaho Statesman,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, or its parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium.—
Jeff Kilburg,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
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By contrast, Carr said numerous ABC affiliates in Texas had submitted the proper filing.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Mayor John Laesch said that, although discussions are still in their early stages, the property owner has seemed interested in working with the city or a nonprofit to get the sign lit back up, and also possibly donating the sign to the city.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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European defense officials are also in advanced discussions to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz once the war ends, sources told the New York Times.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Breakfast at Sophia works perfectly for multi-generational gatherings.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
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On Sunday, police prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from entering the church, citing security concerns as Israel enforces a ban on gatherings in synagogues, churches and mosques during the ongoing war with Iran, which has brought missile strikes near holy sites.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This newsroom-wide project brings fast facts as stories unfold — making sure our local officials and institutions are telling the truth, serving our communities well and following through on their promises.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
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At many Jewish institutions, rejecting Zionism is indeed regarded as a form of sacrilege.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The casino’s 12,000-square-foot event center will be able to host a variety of events, including meetings, conferences, weddings, galas, entertainment and more.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
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These changes have weakened teams from smaller conferences.—
Lev Akabas,
Sportico.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Councils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/councils. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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