administration
noun
ad·min·is·tra·tion
əd-ˌmi-nə-?str?-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
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
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Recent Examples on the Web
Kissinger also helped open diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China during the Nixon administration in the early 1970s.
—
Phil Helsel, NBC News, 30 Nov. 2023
After the outgoing Trump administration passed the criminal case to the incoming Biden administration, the poultry industry became a focal point for the new president’s promise to take on anticompetitive behavior in the business world.
—H. Claire Brown, New York Times, 29 Nov. 2023
Many of the major ones still in use today were built during the Clinton administration, and therefore are not much more than a digital filing cabinet.
—James Hudson, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
How Israel keeps hundreds of Palestinians in detention without charge
The ideology of Christian Zionism animated the agenda of the Trump administration and influences a vast segment of Republican lawmakers, from former vice president Mike Pence to current Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.).
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 29 Nov. 2023
While juggling his dual flight attendant roles, Williams collected three degrees, earning a bachelor's degree in sociology with a concentration in business administration from George Mason University in 2004 and two associate's degrees years later.
—Clara McMichael, ABC News, 29 Nov. 2023
Schools across the country will soon have the ability to order free COVID tests, courtesy of the Biden administration, the U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday.
—C Mandler, CBS News, 29 Nov. 2023
Nichols, 70, has held several high-level health policy positions during his career, among them senior adviser for health policy at the Office of Management and Budget during the Clinton administration and director of the Center for Health Policy Research and Ethics at George Mason University.
—Judith Graham, Fortune Well, 28 Nov. 2023
Penn was an associate director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs during the Obama administration.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 28 Nov. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'administration.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English administracioun, borrowed from Anglo-French amynistraciun, administracioun, borrowed from Latin administr?tiōn-, administr?tiō, from administr?re "to administer" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of administration was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing administration
Dictionary Entries Near administration
Cite this Entry
“Administration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/administration. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.
Kids Definition
administration
noun
ad·min·is·tra·tion
əd-ˌmin-ə-?str?-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-?str?-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-?str?-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
More from Merriam-Webster on administration
Nglish: Translation of administration for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of administration for Arabic Speakers
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