committee of correspondence: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Formal, Historical, Academic, Political
Quick answer
What does “committee of correspondence” mean?
A local political body organized in the American colonies (and later, early United States) to share information, coordinate public opinion, and plan actions against British policies.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A local political body organized in the American colonies (and later, early United States) to share information, coordinate public opinion, and plan actions against British policies.
Any organized network or group, often ad-hoc or grassroots, established to facilitate communication, share intelligence, or coordinate political action among different locations or parties.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term originates from and is primarily used in American historical/political contexts. In British English, it is almost exclusively encountered in historical texts about the American Revolution.
Connotations
In American English, it carries strong connotations of patriotism, revolutionary organizing, and foundational democracy. In British English, it is a neutral historical descriptor for a colonial opposition group.
Frequency
Very low frequency in modern general usage. Exclusively found in historical, political science, or advanced academic contexts. Significantly more common in American educational materials.
Grammar
How to Use “committee of correspondence” in a Sentence
The [LOCATION] committee of correspondence [VERB: wrote/coordinated/shared] [INFORMATION/PLANS].A committee of correspondence was [VERB: formed/created/established] to [PURPOSE].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “committee of correspondence” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The dissidents sought to committee-of-correspondence their allies across the region. (Very rare, metaphorical)
American English
- The activists effectively committee-of-correspondenced their supporters nationwide. (Very rare, metaphorical)
adjective
British English
- They adopted a committee-of-correspondence model for their campaign. (Historical reference)
American English
- The group's committee-of-correspondence strategy proved highly effective. (Historical/modern metaphorical)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could metaphorically describe a task force set up to ensure consistent messaging between international branches.
Academic
Common in History and Political Science papers on the American Revolution, state-building, or political communication networks.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be used humorously for a group of friends who gossip or share news.
Technical
Used as a historical term of art. In network theory, can be an example of a decentralized, resilient communication structure.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “committee of correspondence”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “committee of correspondence”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “committee of correspondence”
- Using it as a synonym for any committee (e.g., 'finance committee').
- Misspelling 'correspondence'.
- Using in a modern context without signaling the historical allusion.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
When referring to the specific historical bodies (e.g., the Boston Committee of Correspondence), it is capitalized as a proper noun. In generic or metaphorical use, it is lowercased.
It would be highly unusual and likely seen as a deliberate historical metaphor. Terms like 'liaison group', 'task force', or 'communication network' are standard.
Committees of Correspondence were local, grassroots organizations for communication and agitation. The Continental Congress was a central, formal assembly of delegates from the colonies/states.
Because their primary activity was writing and exchanging letters ('corresponding') between towns and colonies to share news, arguments, and plans.
A local political body organized in the American colonies (and later, early United States) to share information, coordinate public opinion, and plan actions against British policies.
Committee of correspondence is usually formal, historical, academic, political in register.
Committee of correspondence: in British English it is pronounced /kəˌmɪt.i əv ˌkɒr.ɪˈspɒn.dəns/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˌmɪt̬.i əv ˌkɔːr.əˈspɑːn.dəns/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The (modern) committee of correspondence (used metaphorically)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A COMMITTEE (group) OF CORRESPONDENCE (letter-writing) – colonists writing letters to each other to CORRESPOND and plan action.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICAL ORGANIZATION IS A COMMUNICATION NETWORK; REVOLUTION IS A CONVERSATION.
Practice
Quiz
In a modern political analogy, a 'committee of correspondence' would most closely resemble: