Is 'foreign affairs' singular or plural?

It is always treated as plural (e.g., 'Foreign affairs are complex.').

What's the difference between 'foreign affairs' and 'foreign policy'?

'Foreign affairs' refers to the broad range of activities and relationships with other countries. 'Foreign policy' is the specific set of goals, strategies, and principles a government adopts to guide its actions in foreign affairs.

Can I say 'Ministry of Foreign Affairs' in the UK?

No, the UK uses 'Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)'. 'Ministry of Foreign Affairs' is commonly used in many other countries (e.g., France, China).

Is it correct to say 'She works in a foreign affair'?

No, that would be incorrect and could be misunderstood as a romantic relationship. The correct term is 'She works in foreign affairs.'

Is “foreign affairs” formal?

Foreign affairs is usually formal, political, journalistic, academic. in register.

How do you pronounce “foreign affairs”?

Foreign affairs: in British English it is pronounced /ˌfɒr.ɪn əˈfeəz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌfɔːr.ɪn əˈferz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

foreign affairs: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

UK/ˌfɒr.ɪn əˈfeəz/US/ˌfɔːr.ɪn əˈferz/

Formal, political, journalistic, academic.

My Flashcards

Quick answer

What does “foreign affairs” mean?

The political, economic, and diplomatic matters involving a country's relations with other nations.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

The political, economic, and diplomatic matters involving a country's relations with other nations; the handling of international relationships by a government.

Can refer broadly to the entire sphere of international relations, including diplomacy, trade, security, and cultural exchange. In some contexts, it may also refer to a government department (e.g., Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Usage is identical in meaning. The UK government department is the 'Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)', historically the 'Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'. In the US, the equivalent is the 'Department of State', headed by the 'Secretary of State'.

Connotations

In the UK, the term can carry historical connotations of empire and commonwealth. In the US, it is strongly associated with presidential power and global leadership.

Frequency

Slightly more frequent in UK media due to the official name 'Foreign Affairs Committee' in Parliament. In the US, 'foreign policy' is a more common collocation.

Grammar

How to Use “foreign affairs” in a Sentence

[Government/Country] + handle/manage/conduct + foreign affairs[Minister/Secretary] + for/of + foreign affairs[Committee/Department] + on + foreign affairs

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

ministry of foreign affairsforeign affairs committeeforeign affairs policyhandle foreign affairsexpert in foreign affairs

medium

discuss foreign affairsmatters of foreign affairsforeign affairs briefingforeign affairs correspondentforeign affairs budget

weak

complex foreign affairscurrent foreign affairsimportant foreign affairsworld foreign affairs

Examples

Examples of “foreign affairs” in a Sentence

noun_phrase

British English

The Foreign Affairs Select Committee will question the Minister next week.
Her career has always been in foreign affairs.

American English

The Senate Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing on the treaty.
He is a columnist specializing in foreign affairs.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Rare, except for large multinational corporations discussing government relations (e.g., 'Our CEO advises on foreign affairs').

Academic

Common in political science, international relations, and history disciplines.

Everyday

Uncommon in casual conversation. Used when discussing news about international diplomacy.

Technical

The specific domain of diplomats, civil servants, and policy analysts.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “foreign affairs”

Strong

statecraft foreign policy

Neutral

international relationsexternal relationsdiplomacy

Weak

global mattersworld politics

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “foreign affairs”

domestic affairsinternal mattershome affairs

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “foreign affairs”

Using it as a singular noun ('a foreign affair' means a romantic liaison abroad).
Confusing it with 'foreign policy' (the strategy vs. the general activities).
Misspelling as 'foriegn affairs'.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: It is always treated as plural (e.g., 'Foreign affairs are complex.').
: 'Foreign affairs' refers to the broad range of activities and relationships with other countries. 'Foreign policy' is the specific set of goals, strategies, and principles a government adopts to guide its actions in foreign affairs.
: No, the UK uses 'Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)'. 'Ministry of Foreign Affairs' is commonly used in many other countries (e.g., France, China).
: No, that would be incorrect and could be misunderstood as a romantic relationship. The correct term is 'She works in foreign affairs.'
: The political, economic, and diplomatic matters involving a country's relations with other nations.
: Foreign affairs is usually formal, political, journalistic, academic. in register.
: Foreign affairs: in British English it is pronounced /ˌfɒr.ɪn əˈfeəz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌfɔːr.ɪn əˈferz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“[not an idiom; a fixed formal term]”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: FOREIGN countries have AFFAIRS (matters/ business) with each other. It's the business between nations.

Conceptual Metaphor

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ARE BUSINESS (conduct affairs, handle matters) or A JOURNEY (pursue a course, steer foreign affairs).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

Before the summit, the ambassador received a comprehensive briefing on the latest developments in .

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the most accurate description of 'foreign affairs'?