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🌊 A US river 🏛️ US government
Potomac

Potomac

1 7.0
A name for the United States government or Washington, D.C. in political talk
  • noun
  • /pəˈtoʊmək/
  • Literature
: Washington
  • Many political analysts believe that the Potomac plays a crucial role in shaping national decisions.

Examples

  • The recent legislation was just another example of how the Potomac influences local policies.

  • As the election approached, the Potomac was abuzz with political debates and campaign strategies.

  • I was Tony Soprano on the Potomac, John Oliver, who's on HBOI mean, you can Google this.

Synonyms

D.C.
vsPotomac
758 2.1

A district of the United States that contains the capital city Washington

is used instead as a political shorthand referring to national institutions
Washington
vsPotomac
706 2.5

The government of the United States that makes national decisions

is used instead as another place-name reference in political speech
Washington D.C.
vsPotomac
519 1.0

The capital city of the United States where the national government is based

is used more as a political place-name than as the literal city name
DC
vsPotomac
250 2.5

The city of Washington, the capital of the United States

is used more as a political shorthand to mean national authorities
District of Columbia
vsPotomac
57 3.5

A federal area in the eastern United States that contains the city Washington and is the nation's capital

is used more often symbolically to mean the national government in politics

Compounds

Potomac River
7 3.5

A river in the eastern United States that flows east to the Chesapeake Bay between Maryland and Virginia

Surface Forms

Potomac singular
Potomacs plural

Etymology

Potomac is also used to mean the U.S. government or Washington, D.C., because the Potomac River runs beside the capital, and people use the river's name as a short way to refer to the city and the government that sits there.