council of economic advisers: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Official, Academic
Quick answer
What does “council of economic advisers” mean?
A group of economists appointed to provide expert advice to a national government, specifically the U.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A group of economists appointed to provide expert advice to a national government, specifically the U.S. President, on economic policy.
A formal advisory body, typically comprising leading academic and policy economists, responsible for analyzing economic trends, formulating policy recommendations, and assisting in the preparation of an administration's economic reports. Can refer to similar bodies in other countries or sub-national governments.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Primarily an American term for the specific U.S. presidential advisory body. The UK has analogous bodies (e.g., the 'Monetary Policy Committee' of the Bank of England or the 'Office for Budget Responsibility'), but they are not called a 'council of economic advisers'. The generic concept exists but is less frequent in UK political discourse.
Connotations
In the US, the CEA is a prestigious, technocratic body with significant influence on national policy. In the UK/Commonwealth, the term may sound like an imported American political construct.
Frequency
High frequency in US political and economic journalism, especially during policy debates and budget seasons. Very low frequency in everyday British English.
Grammar
How to Use “council of economic advisers” in a Sentence
[Government/body] established a council of economic advisers.The council of economic advisers [verb: advised, recommended, reported, concluded] that...[Person] serves/served on the Council of Economic Advisers.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Might appear in high-level analysis of government policy impacts on markets.
Academic
Common in political science, economics, and public policy papers discussing institutional governance and economic policy formation.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Standard term in government documents, political journalism, and economic policy analysis to denote the specific advisory body.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “council of economic advisers”
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Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “council of economic advisers”
- Incorrect: 'Council of Economic Advisors' (official U.S. title uses 'advisers', though 'advisors' is a common variant).
- Incorrect capitalization when not referring to the specific U.S. body (e.g., 'The President met with the Council of Economic Advisers' vs. 'Our university has a council of economic advisers').
- Misspelling 'Economic' as 'Econimic' or 'Economical'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are distinct. The CEA is a small group of economists providing objective, empirical advice. The NEC is a larger White House office that coordinates economic policy across agencies and is more involved in day-to-day political strategy.
The three members of the CEA are appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The President designates one of the members as Chair.
Yes, generically. For example, a large corporation or a university might establish its own 'council of economic advisers' to guide its financial strategy, but this usage is less common.
A key annual publication is the 'Economic Report of the President', which the CEA helps to write. The council also produces periodic reports, analyses, and policy briefs on specific economic issues for the President.
A group of economists appointed to provide expert advice to a national government, specifically the U.
Council of economic advisers is usually formal, official, academic in register.
Council of economic advisers: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkaʊn.səl əv ˌiː.kəˈnɒm.ɪk ədˈvaɪ.zəz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkaʊn.səl əv ˌiː.kəˈnɑː.mɪk ədˈvaɪ.zɚz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a COUNCIL (a group of wise people) sitting in an ECONOMIC (money-related) ADVISERS' (people who give advice) room at the White House. CEA = Council of Economic Advisers.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE GOVERNMENT IS A CORPORATION; the CEA is the board of economic strategists or the chief economic planning department.
Practice
Quiz
In which country is the 'Council of Economic Advisers' a specific, high-profile government body?