powers that be

From Moscow to deepest Siberia, subversive artists are provoking the powers-that-be.

Bill Clinton might be the only politician who could bend the powers-that-be to his will.

Here, I guess, we're going to wait for the powers-that-be to judge us and give us our sentence.

The "powers-that-be" seem to be blind to the fact that a trained spy would not attempt to use a conspicuous camera.

This, if the naval powers-that-be have their way, will some day come to pass.

Far off in London the powers-that-be were praying that this blonde and bearded Boer could successfully man the imperial breach.

It was believed that the powers-that-be would take every precaution in order to avoid a rupture.