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
Relevance
2
as in bureaucrats
a worker in a government agency
the faceless functionaries at the Internal Revenue Service
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of functionaries
Just as Adolf Eichmann and Albert Speer portrayed themselves not as true believers but as mere functionaries, so Vadim presents himself to Lawrence as a master of method, not of principle.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
More than funding, though, is needed transparency by IDNR functionaries with marina boaters and Winthrop Harbor officials.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Their prestige suffers because it is conflated in the public’s mind with long lines at the DMV, fastidious building inspectors, parking tickets—the stuff of local functionaries.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
Bigelow’s sympathetic eye for her functionaries risks the film being misread as an argument for more robust military funding.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Evil is aided and abetted by the banality of institutions and their functionaries.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
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
Surrounded by allies, rivals, and functionaries with their own agendas, Roh navigates a dense network of relationships in his bid to claim the top seat for himself.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
More than funding, though, is needed transparency by IDNR functionaries with marina boaters and Winthrop Harbor officials.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Their prestige suffers because it is conflated in the public’s mind with long lines at the DMV, fastidious building inspectors, parking tickets—the stuff of local functionaries.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
Bigelow’s sympathetic eye for her functionaries risks the film being misread as an argument for more robust military funding.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Evil is aided and abetted by the banality of institutions and their functionaries.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
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
Surrounded by allies, rivals, and functionaries with their own agendas, Roh navigates a dense network of relationships in his bid to claim the top seat for himself.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for functionaries
Noun
-
Flanked by several clergy members of various denominations, Dolan, 76, thanked his former colleagues, as well as civic and community officials, before praising Jesus Christ for his lengthy career in the church.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
California officials have flatly refused.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Congress should focus on lowering health care costs and expanding access in ways that help patients first, not big insurance companies or bureaucrats.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 May 2026
-
The entertainment industry doesn’t need California bureaucrats deciding which projects deserve subsidies, which studios are strategically important, or which business models should survive.—
Will Swaim,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Police said officers responded to shootings involving apartment buildings and homes while going door-to-door to ensure residents had not been injured.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
-
Upon arrival, officers located a person with a single gunshot wound.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Sources close to SkyShowtime said Paramount’s WBD deal had created palpable uncertainty among employees, leading to speculation about how the mega-merger will affect SkyShowtime’s shareholder structure.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
-
The layoffs do not affect its coffeehouse employees.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Over the strenuous objection of fellow Democrats and many Republicans — including Peters’ prosecutor and a majority of Colorado’s election clerks — Polis commuted her sentence, clearing the way for Peters’ parole on June 1 after less than two years in prison.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
-
The crimes of the executed have included the slayings of wives and children, store clerks and strangers.—
Erik Ortiz,
NBC news,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Passed in the final days of session and signed into law by Lamont earlier this week, the bill was praised as a massive victory for the state’s labor community and has been strongly embraced by unions and workers advocacy groups.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
-
Sections of roadwork, albeit with no workers.—
Weike Wang,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Are mandarins and oranges good for you?—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Repeat with the remaining mandarins, adding more cornstarch as needed.—
Kelly McCarthy,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Functionaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/functionaries. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
