political
Concerning civic power
Political relates to government, public affairs, or the distribution of power.
Political parties compete in political campaigns for political office.
The word extends beyond government to any sphere involving power dynamics: office politics, the politics of academia.
To call something political often implies strategic maneuvering or partisan motivation: That decision was purely political.
Authority over a state
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
- bureaucracyRigid administrative system
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
parliament · senate · assembly · council · oversight · authority · jurisdiction · institution
Formally registering a choice
- electionOrganized public voting
- campaignOrganized effort toward goal
- ballotVoting document
- candidatePerson seeking selection
suffrage · electorate · referendum · caucus · primary · pollster · rally · vote
Rule by the people
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- freedomAbsence of constraint
- libertyAbsence of unjust constraint
- equalitySame status for all
justice · citizenship · autonomy · representation · dissent · protest · activism · suffrage
Separation into opposing extremes
- tribalismIn-group loyalty, out-group hostility
- factionGroup within group
- partisanshipLoyalty to one faction
- loyalistFaithful supporter of authority
hardliner · activist · zealot · sectarian · allegiance · bias · divisiveness · spin
Communal economic control
- liberalismPhilosophy valuing reform, tolerance
- conservatismPreference for existing institutions
- communismCollective ownership system
- anarchismPhilosophy rejecting state authority
fascism · capitalism · nationalism · libertarianism · progressivism · feminism · environmentalism · egalitarianism
Discussion seeking mutual accord
- ambassadorOfficial foreign representative
- treatyBinding pact between nations
- embassyOfficial diplomatic residence abroad
- envoyAccredited diplomatic representative
summit · bilateral · multilateral · accord · sanctions · alliance · consulate · delegation
government
Authority over a state
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
- bureaucracyRigid administrative system
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
regulation · parliament · senate · assembly · council · oversight · authority · jurisdiction · institution · executive
voting
Formally registering a choice
candidate · suffrage · electorate · referendum · caucus · primary · pollster · rally · vote · coalition
democracy
Rule by the people
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- freedomAbsence of constraint
- libertyAbsence of unjust constraint
equality · justice · citizenship · autonomy · representation · dissent · protest · activism · suffrage · emancipation
polarization
Separation into opposing extremes
- tribalismIn-group loyalty, out-group hostility
- factionGroup within group
- partisanshipLoyalty to one faction
loyalist · hardliner · activist · zealot · sectarian · allegiance · bias · divisiveness · spin · smear
socialism
Communal economic control
- liberalismPhilosophy valuing reform, tolerance
- conservatismPreference for existing institutions
- communismCollective ownership system
anarchism · fascism · capitalism · nationalism · libertarianism · progressivism · feminism · environmentalism · egalitarianism · totalitarianism
negotiation
Discussion seeking mutual accord
- ambassadorOfficial foreign representative
- treatyBinding pact between nations
- embassyOfficial diplomatic residence abroad
envoy · summit · bilateral · multilateral · accord · sanctions · alliance · consulate · delegation · dialogue
- -al adjectivescultural, emotional, environmental, federal, financial
- event adjectivesannual, scheduled, planned, recurring, upcoming
- magazine typesfashion, news, sports, celebrity, gossip
- perspectivesviewpoints, viewpoint, point of view, POV, opinions
- professional fieldsmedical, legal, technical, financial, scientific
- visual story genresaction, adventure, crime, fantasy, horror
politicalapolitical
Lacking political interest
nonpolitical · unpolitical · non-governmental · disengaged · neutral
politicalpersonal
Relating to one's self
private · domestic · individual · familial · intimate
politicalsincere
Genuinely felt, not feigned
genuine · straightforward · principled · honest · naive
- political spectrumRange of belief systems
- political reformAltering governmental structures or practices
- political theaterPerformative actions for appearances
- political changeShift in governance
- office politicsPower dynamics at work
- political activistsPeople organizing for causes
politics, politician, politic, politically, politicians, politicize, apolitical, political party, nonpolitical