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Glite Dictionary
PAC

PAC

42 5.6
A group set up to raise money to support political candidates or causes
  • noun
  • /pæk/
  • US
translation icon : comité de acción política
  • The PAC raised millions of dollars to support candidates who align with their values.
  • super PAC
  • PAC contributions
  • PACs support candidates

They don't have the same rules that the Super PAC for Aaron Sorkin would have.

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Examples

  • The 2012 election cycle spurred the registration of 1,310 super PACs—255 of which made independent expenditures during the cycle.

    Academic text (2014)

  • But then also in the final weeks, you had a super PAC come in that was, I'm fairly certain, directed by Kevin McCarthy.

    ReasonTV

  • You know, we can put a, you know, a super PAC ad will go up.

  • And so how do you pay your premium to a super PAC on your side in advance?

    Academic text (2016)

  • So the only protection he can buy is from super PACs on his own side.

    Academic text (2016)

  • We should be against super PAC's, abolish them.

  • It was paid for by a PAC supporting Kamala Harris called the Progressive Action Fund.

  • The fine line that congressional leaders walk in supporting super PACs is illustrated by the YG Action Fund Super PAC.

    Academic text (2014)

  • The super PACs are headed by former leadership aides or former staff of the CCCs.

    Academic text (2014)

  • The guys at Goldman Sachs are prepared to donate $500,000 to your super PAC.

    The Campaign (2012)

Synonyms

political action committee
vsPAC
  • US
17 4.4

A group that raises and spends money to support political candidates or causes

is the short abbreviated US form of that same name

Compounds

Pac-Man strategy
  • Jargon
7.7

To try to buy the company that is trying to buy you

Surface Forms

PAC singular
PACs plural

Morphology

PAC = political + action + committee (semi-transparent) = P + A + C

The form is an initialism of 'Political Action Committee'; knowing the expanded words makes the meaning clear. [Postprocessing: changed transparency from 'transparent' to 'semi-transparent' for abbreviation]

Etymology

PAC is a short form made from the first letters of Political Action Committee. It means a group set up to take 'political action', to raise money and help candidates, which is why PACs give money and support in elections.