noun · formal

mandate

/ˈmæn.deɪt/MAN·date

Band 6-7task2speaking

an official order or commission to do something; the authority given to an elected person or body to carry out policies.

Examples

The new government won a clear mandate to reform healthcare.

The committee has a mandate to investigate all complaints.

Without a popular mandate, major reforms are hard to implement.

Band 8 sentence

Elected leaders claim a mandate only when their platform is explicitly endorsed by a clear electoral majority.

Collocations

  • win a mandate
  • popular mandate
  • mandate to

Word family

mandate nounmandated adjective/verb (past)

Common mistakes

a mandate from peoplea popular mandate / a mandate from the people

The president has no mandate for this reformThe president has no popular mandate for this reform

Say it for a higher band

5permission6authority7+mandate

Synonyms

authority

commission

Easily confused

authority

The authority to set interest rates lies with the central bank.

Related words

Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.

In Society & Government

Learn it with its set