1
as in instrumentalities
something used to achieve an end
the whitening agent in the detergent is chlorine bleach the Church has been the traditional agent for social justice in impoverished countries
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in representatives
a person who acts or does business for another
the sports agent negotiated a record-breaking contract for the baseball player
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in ambassadors
a person sent on a mission to represent another
an undercover agent of the Crown
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in spies
a person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country
an agent feeding information about enemy troop movements
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of agents
Confrontations involving federal agents have routinely been captured on video from multiple angles, which later served to discount parts of the government’s narrative of events.
—
Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
Democrats demanded new restrictions on federal immigration agents in exchange for voting to fund DHS after Alex Pretti was killed last month in Minneapolis.
—Riley Beggin, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
Democrats are calling for judicial warrants before agents can enter private property, a ban on ICE agents wearing face masks, requiring the use of body cameras and new laws for use-of-force standards.
—Justin Gomez, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
Texas is a border state, and we should be actively involved in border security and providing the equipment and resources that border agents need to do their job.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
That same year, the Marrakech Film Festival launched the Atlas Workshops, an industry platform designed to connect emerging regional filmmakers with sales agents and co-production partners on home turf.
—Ben Croll, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Community volunteers with Harbor Area Peace Patrols, who tracked agents’ movements since summer, credit their surveillance work with forcing the federal departure.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
On Wednesday, White House border czar Tom Homan withdrew 700 federal agents from Minneapolis amid rising concerns.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 8 Feb. 2026
Google has launched tools and services enabling developers and business users to build agents.
—Janakiram Msv, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
Democrats demanded new restrictions on federal immigration agents in exchange for voting to fund DHS after Alex Pretti was killed last month in Minneapolis.
—Riley Beggin, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
Democrats are calling for judicial warrants before agents can enter private property, a ban on ICE agents wearing face masks, requiring the use of body cameras and new laws for use-of-force standards.
—Justin Gomez, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
Texas is a border state, and we should be actively involved in border security and providing the equipment and resources that border agents need to do their job.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
That same year, the Marrakech Film Festival launched the Atlas Workshops, an industry platform designed to connect emerging regional filmmakers with sales agents and co-production partners on home turf.
—Ben Croll, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Community volunteers with Harbor Area Peace Patrols, who tracked agents’ movements since summer, credit their surveillance work with forcing the federal departure.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
On Wednesday, White House border czar Tom Homan withdrew 700 federal agents from Minneapolis amid rising concerns.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 8 Feb. 2026
Google has launched tools and services enabling developers and business users to build agents.
—Janakiram Msv, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agents
Noun
-
Icelanders speak one of the world’s oldest languages in continuous use and elect representatives to a parliament that has a claim to being the world’s oldest surviving legislative body.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
-
City leaders are directing residents with questions or concerns to contact their state representatives and pledged transparency if new information emerges.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Dior added her name to its growing list of ambassadors ahead of Jonathan Anderson’s debut couture collection for the legendary house.—
Tonya Blazio-Licorish,
Footwear News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Then after the ceremony, per Elle, some celebs, including the Clooneys, celebrated the opening of Omega House, which will be home base for that brand’s ambassadors throughout the games.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Americans stars Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell as Soveit spies posing as an American family during the Cold War.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
-
One worker joined the FBI and made a career in counterintelligence, sniffing out Chinese spies.—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Catherine takes the concept in a different direction, intent on hurting Heathcliff through more emotional means.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
9 Feb. 2026
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But because many people struggle to get enough vitamin D through natural means, a supplement may be appropriate for those concerned about bone health, Drake said.—
Jamie Ducharme,
Health,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The next morning, the delegates insisted that a photograph be made to commemorate the nomination.—
Harold Holzer,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Members of the public gathered to discuss platform issues and nominate delegates for future conventions.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Talks among envoys from Ukraine, Russia and the United States in recent days in Abu Dhabi were constructive and another round is planned for next week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The envoys are meeting as Ukrainians face below-freezing temperatures after Russian strikes damaged the country's power supply.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Garvey is just one of hundreds of anti-government operatives training agitators to interfere with federal law enforcement.—
Asra Q. Nomani , Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
-
His espionage thriller Lioness, which stars Nicole Kidman and Zoe Saldaña as CIA operatives, is in production on its third season.—
Uwa Ede-Osifo,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In the heavily Latino area of south Oklahoma City, ICE agents have been patrolling in unmarked vehicles and stopping work trucks of roofers, painters and electricians, Brooks Jimenez said.—
Nuria Martinez-Keel,
Oklahoma Voice,
10 Feb. 2026
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This shift is so total that Tesla is winding down production of its veteran Model S and Model X vehicles to repurpose its California factory for the mass production of Optimus humanoid robots.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agents. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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