BRAIN TRUST Definition & Meaning

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brain trust

noun

a group of experts from various fields who serve as unofficial consultants on matters of policy and strategy.

brain-trust

[ breyn-truhst ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

to serve as a brain trust or a brain truster for:
They have brain-trusted many major corporations.

brain trust

A group of intellectuals and planners who act as advisers, especially to a government. The phrase is particularly associated with the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt .

brain trust

A group of experts who serve as advisers to a government or an organization: “Before being appointed to the cabinet, Brown had been a leading figure in a financial brain trust.”

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of brain trust¹

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

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Idioms and Phrases

A group of experts who serve as unofficial but vital advisers. For example, Each town manager seemed to have his or her own brain trust, which of course changed with every election . This term, closely associated with President Franklin Roosevelt's advisers on domestic and foreign policy in the early 1930s, was first recorded in 1910.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The GOP brain trust has accepted the claim that Social Security is rife with fraud without devoting a moment’s thought to it.

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The Rams brain trust also will discuss offensive lineman Jonah Jackson’s situation.

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Maybe now this two-time winning World Series manager, and the man with the highest winning percentage in the history of baseball, will receive a contract extension from the Dodgers’ brain trust.

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It does not appear that Roberts’ Rules were followed, as the Dodgers’ brain trust allowed Jack Flaherty to give up eight runs in only three innings.

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It was a classic case of the Dodgers’ renowned brain trust outsmarting themselves.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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