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

They were rendered invisible in the dominant discourse, their deaths acceptable costs in a game of power politics and conquest. — Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026

She’s praised for her strong sense of story, as well as her grasp of power politics. — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2026

Flynn biographer Jeffrey Meyers endorses the view that power politics and corruption fueled the case. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

In the post-Stalin scramble for power, Russia’s formal constitutional order served as the guidelines within which informal power politics played out. — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for power politics

• biopolitics
• bolsheviks
• candlesticks
• crucifix
• intermix
• lunatics
• mensheviks
• orthotics
• politicks
• bricks
• brix
• chicks