éminence grisenoun [ C ]
uk/ˈem.ɪ.nɒ̃s ˌɡriːz/us/ˈem.ɪ.nɑ̃ːs ˌɡriːz/plural éminences grises usuk/ˈem.ɪ.nɒ̃sˌɡriːz/also grey eminencesomeone without an official position who has power or influence over rulers or people who make decisions:
Civil servants are the ones who really have the power - they are the éminences grises behind the government ministers.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Powerful people & dictators
- a heavy hitter idiom
- authoritarian
- autocrat
- autocratic
- big beast
- despot
- dictator
- dictatorial
- establishment
- figurehead
- grey eminence
- heavy
- oppressor
- potentate
- power broker
- puissance
- puissant
- strongman
- voiceless
- warlord
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