administrate
verb (transitive)
UKədˈmɪn.ɪ.streɪtUSədˈmɪn.ə.streɪt
to manage or supervise the operation or execution of something, especially official duties or responsibilities
Example Sentences
The newly elected official was tasked to administrate the city's public housing program.
Company executives need to understand how to administrate their departments effectively, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations.
She was hired specifically to administrate the budget and streamline various financial processes.
The board worried whether the new CEO could administrate such a large and multifaceted global corporation.
It is critical to administrate health and safety policies correctly in workplaces to protect employees from potential hazards.
While both 'administrate' and 'administer' are used, many prefer 'administer' as a more concise term in professional writing.
As the nonprofit expanded internationally, it became increasingly challenging to administrate resources across different regions, prompting the leadership to develop robust oversight mechanisms and standardized operating procedures.
Organizations rely on skilled professionals who can administrate multiple projects simultaneously, overseeing diverse teams, ensuring compliance with regulations, and adapting strategies to maintain high efficiency in rapidly changing environments.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
Antonyms
How to Use
To manage or oversee tasks, operations, or resources to ensure effective functioning.“Administrate” is a verb that describes the act of managing, directing, or overseeing the operations, people, and resources within an organization or system. Although “administrate” is correct, “administer” is more commonly used in many contexts. Nonetheless, the meaning remains the same: to take responsibility for guiding processes, enforcing policies, allocating resources, and ensuring that activities run smoothly.When you administrate, you might organize schedules, set guidelines, delegate responsibilities, and maintain regulatory compliance. In a corporate environment, you could administrate a department, coordinating budgets, training employees, or implementing new procedures. In academics, to administrate could mean managing a university’s curriculum or overseeing faculty affairs. Ultimately, effective administration calls for strong leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills, enabling you to anticipate needs, address challenges, and keep everything in line with overarching goals.In daily practice, you might oversee administrative staff, design strategies, or monitor results to refine operations. The scope and scale of “administrate” can vary significantly. You can administrate a small club, a nonprofit, a local council, or a multinational enterprise. Regardless of size or complexity, successful administration is about guiding people and processes toward productive outcomes while adhering to relevant rules, budgets, and timelines.
Alternatives
The more commonly used verb for this concept is “administer,” which closely parallels “administrate” but occurs more frequently in formal and informal contexts alike. You could also choose “manage” when referring to overseeing people, budgets, or projects, although “manage” carries a slightly broader connotation of general leadership. “Govern” indicates a stronger, more authoritative sense of controlling or setting laws, especially in a political setting. “Oversee” and “supervise” are narrower synonyms focusing on monitoring tasks and people.If your emphasis is on strategic guidance or policymaking, “direct,” “lead,” or “run” may fit better—for instance, to direct a program or run a team. “Coordinate” or “organize” are good synonyms when describing logistics, event planning, or day-to-day operations. Each of these terms captures some facet of administration but with different shades of scope and control, so choose based on whether you want to underscore leadership, strategy, or routine supervision.
Writing
When writing about administrating, specify what is being overseen—an organization, department, process, or system—and offer examples of the responsibilities involved. For instance, in a project proposal, you could clarify how you plan to ‘administrate the budget and personnel,’ showing how resources will be allocated and monitored. Providing metrics or workflows can illustrate your administrative approach—like using charts to track progress or logs to record tasks.In more formal or academic work, you might discuss the structures or principles of sound administration, referencing established theories on leadership and governance. If addressing a broader audience, practical examples—like streamlining protocols or setting up feedback loops—can help readers grasp the nuances. Whether you’re describing an office manager’s functions, analyzing a government’s bureaucracy, or detailing a hospital’s leadership structure, linking “administrate” to concrete activities clarifies how this concept drives organization and efficiency.
Casual Conversation
In day-to-day conversation, “administrate” is less common than “administer” or “manage.” You might say, “I help administrate the volunteer program,” but it sounds slightly formal or official. Among friends, you’d probably use phrases like “I run the volunteer program” or “I manage the volunteer team.” If you do say “administrate,” you’re emphasizing the formal role or organizational aspect of your tasks, which might be helpful if you’re explaining the job to someone who’s unfamiliar with it.Even in casual contexts, however, the underlying meaning remains: to keep things organized, handle documentation or records, and ensure tasks get done smoothly. If you notice a friend struggling with a school project or group assignment, you might joke, “Maybe I should administrate this operation,” implying you’ll step in to oversee schedules and responsibilities. Otherwise, you’d hear more common terms like “take over,” “organize,” or “lead.”
Etymology
The word “administrate” comes from the Latin “administrare,” combining “ad-” (meaning “to” or “toward”) and “ministrare” (“to serve” or “to manage”). In ancient Rome, “ministrare” referred to providing support, aiding a higher authority, or managing practical tasks. Over time, medieval Latin fused it into “administrare,” denoting the act of governance or stewardship on behalf of an institution or leader.With Old French and then Middle English influences, variations like “administer” and “administrate” emerged. While “administer” became the more frequent form, “administrate” still appears in some professional or bureaucratic settings. Both forms trace back to the same root idea: managing or serving in a guiding capacity, ensuring that resources, policies, and people align with a defined mission or directive.
