Phrase guide

power broker

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A person or group having the ability to influence important decisions, especially in public policy, politics, and business.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a person who is important by virtue of the people or votes they control

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a power broker who does you a favor will expect you to return it

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: powerbroker

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: important person, influential person, personage

History

Etymology

From power + broker.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 權力經紀人 /权力经纪人 (quánlì jīngjìrén) — person having the ability to influence important decisions — see also éminence grise
  • Czech: šedá eminence — person having the ability to influence important decisions — see also éminence grise
  • Finnish: harmaa eminenssi — person having the ability to influence important decisions — see also éminence grise
  • French: éminence grise — person having the ability to influence important decisions — see also éminence grise
  • Georgian: რუხი კარდინალი (ruxi ḳardinali) — person having the ability to influence important decisions — see also éminence grise
  • German: graue Eminenz — person having the ability to influence important decisions — see also éminence grise
  • Italian: eminenza grigia — person having the ability to influence important decisions — see also éminence grise
  • Japanese: 黒幕 (kuromaku) — person having the ability to influence important decisions — see also éminence grise
  • Romanian: eminență cenușie — person having the ability to influence important decisions — see also éminence grise
  • Russian: се́рый кардина́л (séryj kardinál) — person having the ability to influence important decisions — see also éminence grise
  • Russian: влия́тельная фигу́ра (vlijátelʹnaja figúra) — person having the ability to influence important decisions — see also éminence grise
  • Serbo-Croatian: siva eminencija — person having the ability to influence important decisions — see also éminence grise