Political Science Terms

verb to combine or unite to form one structure or organization

• The two companies decided to amalgamate in order to increase their market share.
• Let's amalgamate our resources to make this project successful.
• I heard they're planning to amalgamate the two clubs for a bigger party.
• His speech was an amalgamation of passion and reason, making it truly impactful.

verb to find a way around or overcome (a problem or difficulty)

• The company implemented new security measures to circumvent potential cyber attacks.
• She found a clever way to circumvent the long line at the grocery store.
• He always knows how to circumvent the rules and get away with it.
• Despite the obstacles, she was able to circumvent the challenges and reach her goals.

noun a legally recognized subject or national of a state or commonwealth, either native or naturalized

• As a responsible citizen, it is important to stay informed about current events.
• Hey, did you hear about that citizen who found a lost dog and returned it to its owner?
• That citizen is always on top of the latest gossip in the neighborhood.
• The artist used the statue to represent the ideal citizen in society.

verb to persuade someone to do something by using force or threats

• The suspect was accused of attempting to coerce a witness into changing their testimony.
• Don't let anyone coerce you into doing something you're not comfortable with.
• I can't believe he tried to coerce her into going out with him.
• The strong winds seemed to coerce the trees into swaying back and forth.

noun a word used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

• I would like to comment upon the recent changes in the company's policy.
• I want to say something about the new rules at work.
• I gotta give my two cents on the way things are going down.
• Let me shed some light on the situation and provide my commentary.

noun a member of a community or organization

adjective forming a part of a whole

• Each constituent plays a vital role in the functioning of the political system.
• Every constituent in the neighborhood is invited to the community meeting.
• Hey, did you hear about that new store opening up for all the constituents?
• In a democracy, the people are the ultimate constituent of power.

adjective describing two or more things that are touching or connected

• The two countries share a contiguous border that stretches for hundreds of miles.
• The two houses are contiguous, so it's easy to borrow sugar from your neighbor.
• I can't believe we got contiguous seats at the concert!
• The chapters in the book are contiguous, forming a seamless narrative.

noun the act of breaking up or disbanding a group or organization

• The disbandment of the committee was announced at the meeting.
• They decided on the disbandment of the group after the disagreement.
• The disbandment of the band left fans heartbroken.
• The disbandment of their friendship was a result of years of growing apart.

noun a mathematical operation that determines how many times one number is contained within another

verb to separate or split into parts or groups

adjective separated into parts or pieces

• The country was deeply divided on the issue of healthcare reform.
• The group was divided on where to go for lunch.
• The team was totally divided on which movie to watch.
• His attention was divided between work and family responsibilities.

• The ambassador visited the embassy to discuss diplomatic relations.
• I need to renew my passport at the embassy before my trip.
• Let's hit up the embassy for some help with our visa issues.
• The library is like an embassy for book lovers, a place of refuge and knowledge.

verb to make a problem or situation worse

• The economic downturn is likely to exacerbate the already existing social inequalities.
• Skipping meals will only exacerbate your hunger.
• His constant nagging just exacerbates the situation.
• Adding fuel to the fire will only exacerbate the conflict.

noun a thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept it

• The decision to move forward with the project was seen as a fait accompli by the board members.
• Once she made up her mind, it was a fait accompli that we were going to the beach for the weekend.
• As soon as he said he was buying the tickets, it was a done deal - a fait accompli.
• Her graduation was a fait accompli, given her dedication to her studies and hard work.

noun the act or process of governing

verb control, direct, or influence the actions and behavior of others

adjective relating to the exercise of authority or control

• The governing body passed a new law to regulate online privacy.
• The governing officials are discussing the new budget proposal.
• The governing folks are really cracking down on partying in the neighborhood.
• His moral compass is like a governing force in his decision-making.

noun a widespread feeling of excitement or support for something

• The ground swell of public support for the new policy was evident in the latest polls.
• There's been a ground swell of excitement building for the upcoming concert.
• The ground swell for the new video game release is insane!
• As the project gained momentum, a ground swell of enthusiasm swept through the team.

noun the act of seizing control of a vehicle, especially an airplane, by force

verb to seize control of a vehicle, especially an airplane, by force

• The terrorists attempted to hijack the airplane and divert its course.
• I heard a crazy story about a guy trying to hijack a bus last week.
• Don't let anyone hijack your plans for the weekend.
• I refuse to let negative thoughts hijack my mind.

noun a person born of parents not married to each other

adjective not authorized by the law; not in accordance with accepted standards or rules

• The court ruled that the document was illegitimate and therefore not admissible as evidence.
• She found out that her sister's marriage was illegitimate and was shocked.
• I heard that the rumor about him being illegitimate was just a load of crap.
• The artist considered the copy of his painting to be illegitimate as it lacked the originality and creativity of his work.

noun the quality of being fair and unbiased

• The judge's impartiality in the case ensured a fair trial for all parties involved.
• It's important for a referee to show impartiality during the game.
• Don't be biased, try to keep some impartiality in your decision-making.
• In order to make sound decisions, it's crucial to maintain a sense of impartiality and not let emotions cloud your judgment.

noun a lack of fairness or justice; an unfair act or occurrence

• The court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, citing a clear case of injustice.
• It's just not fair how some people get away with injustice.
• That's some messed up injustice right there.
• The darkness of injustice cast a shadow over the community.

noun a person who is intransigent

adjective unwilling or refusing to change one's views or to agree about something

• The intransigent negotiator refused to compromise on any of the terms.
• She's so intransigent, she never listens to anyone else's opinion.
• He's an intransigent jerk who always thinks he's right.
• The mountain stood intransigent against the changing weather.

noun a member of a legislative body

• The lawmaker proposed a new bill to address the issue of climate change.
• The lawmaker is working on a new law about taxes.
• The lawmaker is cooking up some new rules for the city.
• The lawmaker is like a shepherd guiding the flock of laws.

adjective relating to the making of laws or the branch of government that makes laws

• The legislative branch of government is responsible for making laws.
• The legislative process can be quite complex to understand.
• I heard they're trying to pass some new legislative stuff in Congress.
• His ability to navigate the legislative landscape is impressive.

noun a situation in which no progress can be made, typically because of disagreement or deadlock

• The logjam in the legislative process has delayed the passing of important bills.
• There's a logjam in the kitchen sink because someone forgot to clean out the drain.
• The traffic was a total logjam this morning, I was stuck for over an hour!
• The team's lack of communication created a logjam in the project timeline.

verb to have a substantial effect or influence; to operate against something

• The lack of funding may militate against the success of the project.
• His stubbornness will militate against any chance of reconciliation.
• Her negative attitude really militates against her popularity.
• The dark clouds militate against having a picnic today.

noun a way of living or way of life; a practical compromise or arrangement between parties in a dispute

• The two countries have agreed on a modus vivendi to peacefully coexist.
• Let's just find a modus vivendi so we can get along.
• We need to work out a modus vivendi to avoid any conflicts.
• In the world of business, finding a modus vivendi with your competitors is essential for success.

adjective meaning of no value or importance

• The judge deemed the evidence presented by the defense as nugatory and therefore inadmissible in court.
• Don't waste your time on nugatory tasks, focus on what truly matters.
• I can't believe you spent money on that nugatory item, what a waste!
• Her dreams of becoming a famous singer turned out to be nugatory, as she never pursued a career in music.

verb to keep (someone) in subservience and hardship, especially by the unjust or cruel exercise of authority

• The dictator used his power to oppress the citizens and suppress their freedoms.
• The boss tries to oppress us by giving us too much work to do.
• Don't let anyone oppress you and make you feel small.
• The dark clouds seemed to oppress the landscape, casting a shadow over everything.

noun a formal agreement between individuals or parties

• The two countries signed a pact to promote economic cooperation.
• We made a pact to always have each other's backs.
• Let's make a pact to never talk about that embarrassing moment again.
• The pact between the siblings meant they would always support each other no matter what.

noun an introductory statement; preface; introduction

adjective relating to or constituting a preamble

• The preamble of the Constitution outlines the goals and principles of the document.
• Before we get started, let me give you a quick preamble about the project.
• Let me just give you a heads up before we dive in, here's the preamble.
• The preamble to the novel sets the tone for the entire story.

noun an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances

adjective preceding in time, order, or importance

• The judge referred to a legal precedent in making her decision.
• There's no precedent for this kind of situation, so we'll have to figure it out as we go.
• I don't want to set a bad precedent by skipping class.
• Her success set a precedent for others to follow in her footsteps.

noun a statement or account made to influence opinion or action

• The lawyer argued that the defendant's representation in court was inadequate.
• I don't think the painting is an accurate representation of the landscape.
• His Instagram feed is just a representation of his perfect life, not reality.
• The artist used abstract shapes as a representation of emotions in her artwork.

noun A branch of science that deals with human behavior in its social and cultural aspects

• The study of human society and social relationships falls under the umbrella of social science.
• Social science is all about understanding how people interact with each other in society.
• I'm taking a class on social science this semester, it's pretty interesting stuff.
• Exploring the complexities of human behavior is like delving into the depths of social science.

noun a small, thin, sharp piece of wood, glass, or other material that has broken off from a larger piece

verb to break or cause to break into small, sharp pieces

• The doctor carefully removed the splinter from the patient's finger.
• Ouch! I just got a splinter from that old wooden bench.
• I hate when I get a splinter, it's so annoying.
• The political party faced a splinter group forming within its ranks.

noun a state of stability, inactivity, or equilibrium

• The patient's condition remained in stasis despite the best efforts of the medical team.
• The project has been in stasis for weeks now, with no progress in sight.
• I feel like my life is in stasis, just stuck in the same routine every day.
• The political landscape of the country seems to be in a state of stasis, with no real change on the horizon.

noun the period during which someone holds an office or position

• The professor was granted tenure after years of dedication to research and teaching.
• My aunt finally got tenure at her job, so now she can't be fired.
• I heard that dude got tenure at the company, he's set for life now.
• Her tenure as the leader of the group came to an end after the scandal.

noun a formal indication of a choice between two or more candidates or courses of action, expressed typically through a ballot or a show of hands

verb to express a formal indication of a choice or opinion

• Citizens have the right to vote in the upcoming election.
• Hey, don't forget to vote in the school council elections!
• Let's all go out and cast our vote for the best candidate!
• Every purchase you make is a vote for the kind of world you want to live in.

noun the quality or state of being fractious; unruliness or quarrelsomeness

• The fractiousness among the board members hindered any progress in the meeting.
• The fractiousness between the siblings made family gatherings unbearable.
• The fractiousness at the concert turned into a full-blown brawl.
• The fractiousness of the storm caused widespread damage throughout the town.

noun the process of categorizing and differentiating people based on their race

• Racialization is a complex process that involves attributing certain characteristics or behaviors to individuals based on their race.
• Many people are unaware of the impact of racialization on society.
• The racialization of certain groups can lead to discrimination and prejudice.
• The media often perpetuates the racialization of certain communities through stereotypes and biased portrayals.

noun Asgardia

• Asgardia is the name of the first space nation, founded with the aim of creating a peaceful and inclusive society beyond Earth.
• Have you heard about Asgardia? It's like a country in space!
• Asgardia is out of this world, literally.
• In the realm of imagination, Asgardia stands as a beacon of human potential and unity.

verb A verb is a word that expresses an action or a state of being. In this case, 'acceded' is a past tense verb indicating that someone agreed to a request or proposal.

• After much deliberation, the committee finally acceded to the demands of the protesters.
• She eventually acceded to his request to go out on a date.
• I can't believe she actually acceded to lending him money again.
• The sun acceded to the clouds, casting a shadow over the landscape.

adverb in a submissive or compliant manner

• She acquiescently agreed to the terms of the contract.
• He acquiescently went along with the group's decision.
• She just acquiescently went with the flow.
• The old tree acquiescently bent to the force of the wind.

verb to accept, comply, or submit passively without protest

• The board members were hesitant at first, but ended up acquiescing to the CEO's proposal.
• After much debate, they finally gave in and acquiesced to the plan.
• They were totally against it at first, but eventually caved and acquiesced.
• The clouds seemed to part, acquiescing to the sun's warm embrace.

verb to grant the rights of citizenship, especially the right to vote

• The government decided to affranchise women by granting them the right to vote.
• The company will affranchise its employees with more flexible work hours.
• I feel affranchised now that I have my own car and can go wherever I want.
• Reading books can affranchise your mind and open up new perspectives.