From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishinner circleinner circlePPGSSOthe few people in an organization, political party etc who control it or share power with its leader members of the president’s inner circle → inner
Examples from the Corpus
inner circle• But the vortex fills as he nears its inner circle.• His decision was upheld by nearly every senior official in his inner circle.• In fact, several guidebooks were conspiracies to conceal this information, and repel invaders from outside the initiated inner circle.• Morris's ideas still provoke tension in the Clinton White House, even if Morris is absent from the inner circle.• He is not one of the inner circle, and does not know where his orders came from.• Hubbell, part of the Clintons' inner circle, is intimately familiar with their financial affairs.• The intrigue, if one existed, was worthy of the inner circle of the Imperial court on far distant Knossos.• The inner circle represents activities that are accepted as sport in all countries and fulfil all of Rodgers' criteria. 