The people or forces who are in a position of authority or control. Everyone thought the bill would be passed immediately, but the powers that be have decided to kill it before it gained any traction. We do have the power to effect change by voting, but, between elections, we're largely at the mercy of the powers that be.

the people who are in authority. The powers that be have decided to send back the immigrants. I have applied for a license, and the powers that be are considering my application.

COMMON People sometimes call people in authority the powers that be, especially when they want to say that they disagree with them or do not understand what they say or do. The powers that be, in this case the independent Television Association, banned the advertisement altogether. The powers that be may keep us from building a house just where we want to.

Those who hold effective power in a system or situation: a plan vetoed by the powers that be.

Those in authority. This term comes from the Bible: “The powers that be are ordained of God,” from Paul’s Epistle to the Romans (13:1), asserts that all power of any kind comes from God alone. Centuries later the term was reasserted by Pope Leo XIII (Immortale Dei, 1885): “All public power proceeds from God.” Today the term is used more loosely for any temporal authorities.