1
as in officials
a person who holds a public office
spoke to high-ranking functionaries at the embassy in the hopes that they could help
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in bureaucrats
a worker in a government agency
the faceless functionaries at the Internal Revenue Service
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of functionaries
Since then, there have been many more arrests—especially of regional functionaries at various levels.
—
Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2025
But this newsletter is more focused on how Trump and his fawning functionaries speak about and for him.
—Chris Brennan, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2025
But this newsletter is more focused on how Trump and his fawning functionaries speak about and for him.
—Chris Brennan, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for functionaries
Noun
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Multiple White House officials arrived in their current jobs after working at Turning Point USA, the conservative outreach group that Kirk led and co-founded to energize Republicans on college campuses.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
-
On fourth down a flag was thrown for what looked like pass interference on the Mustangs, but after the officials huddled, the penalty was waved off giving the ball back to the Bulldogs.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Jeffrey Epstein's cabal of politicians, bureaucrats, and elites who turned a blind eye must be held accountable.—
Anna Commander
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Every head of every government in the world has been frustrated with bureaucrats.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office What To Know Videos posted on social media after the shooting showed officers carrying Zinn from the scene as students can be heard screaming.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The expansive definitions of vagrancy, and the discretionary power that vagrancy laws conferred upon law enforcement officers as a result, date back to the colonial era.—
Time,
Time,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Al Jazeera employees even reportedly work with the terrorist group to identify protesters.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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That promise now feels increasingly tenuous; few of the permanent employees have been hired yet, the complex is still under construction, and most of the workforce are transient staff on temporary visas or contracts – like the ones swept up by ICE.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Most counties in Kansas have elected county clerks, but the Secretary of State appoints the election commissioner in Kansas’ four largest counties — including Wyandotte and Johnson.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
12 Sep. 2025
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These include customer-service representatives, clerks, analysts, public-relations specialists, and administrators.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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High-skilled workers will see income growth, while low-skill workers will be competing for a decreasing number of job openings.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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If tax records and documents do not add up, employers and employees may be arrested and detained as investigators sort out who is illegally present in the United States or illegally employing workers.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Combining this benefit with their low-calorie content makes mandarins a helpful tool for healthy weight management.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
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Even the tonic is homemade with mandarins and blood oranges, so stopping in for a refreshing drink is well worth it.—
Rebecca Deurlein,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Functionaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/functionaries. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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