fait accompli
noun
fait ac·com·pli ˈfā-tə-ˌkäm-ˈplē 
ˈfe-,
ˈfe-ˌta- -ˌkōⁿ(m)-,
British usually -ˈkäm-(ˌ)plē
plural faits accomplis ˈfā-tə-ˌkäm-ˈplē(z)
ˈfe-,
ˈfe-ˌta-,
-ˌkōⁿ(m)-,
British usually -ˈkäm-(ˌ)plē(z)
: a thing accomplished and presumably irreversible
he charged that the members were presented with a fait accompli instead of being called to a meeting to discuss the policy change
Daniel Thomases
Daniel Thomases
Example Sentences
By the time we learned about the decision, it was already a fait accompli.
Recent Examples on the Web By now, the midterms look like a fait accompli: Republicans will gain a boatload of seats and probably win majorities in both chambers of Congress. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 30 June 2022 UHart’s plan to transition to Division III, revealed in April 2021 after the men’s basketball team played in the NCAA Tournament, appears to be a fait accompli,. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 24 May 2022 Entry into the continental bloc is hardly a fait accompli. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 18 June 2022 The publication also reported that some regional athletic organizations were concerned that UK Athletics seemed to be treating the equalizing of race distances as a fait accompli. Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, 27 Jan. 2021 Behind the scenes, the administration is telling educational institutions that the rules are a fait accompli, demanding enforcement that curtails freedom of speech, due process and women’s rights. Jennifer C. Braceras And Inez Feltscher Stepman, WSJ, 1 June 2022 While Truman’s use of the atomic bomb inevitably comes up in any discussion of his legacy, Frank joins other historians in characterizing the bombings as a fait accompli no matter who was in office. Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2022 The relocation of the statue, requested by the Council’s Black, Latino and Asian Caucus, was expected to be a fait accompli: An agreement was already in place to relocate the statue to the New-York Historical Society. New York Times, 18 Oct. 2021 Trump’s supporters, though, see it as a fait accompli. Chris Morris, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2022 See More
Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 30 June 2022 UHart’s plan to transition to Division III, revealed in April 2021 after the men’s basketball team played in the NCAA Tournament, appears to be a fait accompli,. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 24 May 2022 Entry into the continental bloc is hardly a fait accompli. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 18 June 2022 The publication also reported that some regional athletic organizations were concerned that UK Athletics seemed to be treating the equalizing of race distances as a fait accompli. Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, 27 Jan. 2021 Behind the scenes, the administration is telling educational institutions that the rules are a fait accompli, demanding enforcement that curtails freedom of speech, due process and women’s rights. Jennifer C. Braceras And Inez Feltscher Stepman, WSJ, 1 June 2022 While Truman’s use of the atomic bomb inevitably comes up in any discussion of his legacy, Frank joins other historians in characterizing the bombings as a fait accompli no matter who was in office. Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2022 The relocation of the statue, requested by the Council’s Black, Latino and Asian Caucus, was expected to be a fait accompli: An agreement was already in place to relocate the statue to the New-York Historical Society. New York Times, 18 Oct. 2021 Trump’s supporters, though, see it as a fait accompli. Chris Morris, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
French, accomplished fact
First Known Use
1845, in the meaning defined above