Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
adult in the room en · NOUN
Meanings
-
(figuratively, in-plural, often) Someone, especially a senior member of staff, who counteracts impulsive or reckless behavior.
Since Donald Trump’s first term, they have been viewed comfortingly as the “adults in the room,” a last line of defense against the impulsive whims of a president with access to the nuclear codes.
2026 May 3, Robert Tait, “‘This is just disarray’: alarm inside Pentagon after Hegseth staff purges”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 03 May 2026:“Keep in mind, these guys were the adults in the room in the first Trump administration keeping Trump from going full dictator,” said [Michael] Kosta. “And they’re not going to be there the second time around.[…]”
2024 October 24, Michael Kosta, quotee, “Seth Meyers on Trump: ‘A ridiculous buffoon and an incredibly dangerous menace’”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 11 Aug 2025:China Is the Adult in the Room on Climate Now [title]
2025 September 26, Li Shuo, “China Is the Adult in the Room on Climate Now”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 09 Oct 2025:
Forms