1
as in official
a person who holds a public office
spoke to high-ranking functionaries at the embassy in the hopes that they could help
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2
as in bureaucrat
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 functionary
Unlike the party functionaries picked previously, all three grew up in the labor movement.
—
John Samuelsen, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2025
The hosts were Peter Yates, a functionary at the California Department of Employment, and his wife, the pianist Frances Mullen.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
The play drew on the verbatim testimony of SS officers, Nazi functionaries and camp survivors, to reconstruct the genocidal horror in harrowing, undeniable detail.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025
Geoffrey Mason was barely 30, a control-room functionary working a down day at the 1972 Munich Olympics, when history called on a push-button phone.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for functionary
John Samuelsen, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2025
The hosts were Peter Yates, a functionary at the California Department of Employment, and his wife, the pianist Frances Mullen.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
The play drew on the verbatim testimony of SS officers, Nazi functionaries and camp survivors, to reconstruct the genocidal horror in harrowing, undeniable detail.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025
Geoffrey Mason was barely 30, a control-room functionary working a down day at the 1972 Munich Olympics, when history called on a push-button phone.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for functionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for functionary
Noun
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First responders found the crash was the result of a medical episode, officials said.—
Adrienne Davis,
jsonline.com,
29 July 2025
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The state legislature approved money in its 2023 budget for the beautification project, which fairgrounds officials say will improve safety.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
29 July 2025
Noun
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As long as politicians and government bureaucrats are allowed to substitute their judgment for the judgment of the people working in and with local schools, public education will never improve.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
17 July 2025
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There’s a smarter way to end freeloading — without outsourcing authority over the U.S. health care system to foreign bureaucrats.—
Michelle Flowers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 July 2025
Noun
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But case law has held that prosecutors are constitutional, judicial officers who are not in the same category as state, county and township executive-branch officers, such as mayors.—
Kayla Dwyer,
IndyStar,
26 July 2025
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Many fishers have lost their livelihoods overnight, with about a third of the state waters completely devoid of fish, according to Pat Tripodi, the executive officer of the Marine Fishers Association, which represents the interests of most commercial fishing license holders in the state.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
26 July 2025
Noun
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This job typically requires a high school diploma and basic computer skills, but many office clerks learn on the fly.—
Sarah Bregel,
Parents,
23 July 2025
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In addition, legislation to provide relief funding to those recovering from the storms will be discussed, according to a proclamation by Abbott, which was read by a clerk during the legislative session.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
22 July 2025
Noun
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From that worker, Kane learned about the center and offered to volunteer.—
Shelby Slade,
AZCentral.com,
21 July 2025
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The world’s fourth-largest economy has traditionally been strict on immigration, but in recent years worked hard to attract more international tourists and foreign workers to counter a rapidly aging population and plunging birth rates.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
21 July 2025
Noun
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As a showrunner, Schneider was alleged to have run a toxic workplace, discriminated against female writers on staff and made requests for massages from employees on set.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
21 July 2025
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The potassium cyanide is delivered to James Craig’s office, but another employee, unaware of Craig’s instructions to Romero, opens it.—
Melissa Gray,
CNN Money,
20 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Functionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/functionary. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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