as in officer
a person who holds a public office
some of our best public officials do their jobs quietly and are never in the news
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in authorized
ordered or allowed by those in authority
the official languages for those Olympic Games were French and English
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of official
Christopher Harris, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
Applicants must have a serious medical condition, city officials said in the email.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Since sacks became an official stat in 1982, just Robert Porcher and Michael Cofer had more than Scroggins in franchise history.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for official
Noun
City officials have said they were not involved in key stages of the planning process, including an engineering review of water and sewer capacity conducted by DHS.
—Christopher Harris, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
Applicants must have a serious medical condition, city officials said in the email.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Taken together, the moves add an official stamp to Israel’s accelerating expansion and would override parts of decades-old agreements that split the West Bank between areas under Israeli control and areas where the Palestinian Authority exercises limited autonomy.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Since sacks became an official stat in 1982, just Robert Porcher and Michael Cofer had more than Scroggins in franchise history.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for official
Recent Examples of Synonyms for official
Noun
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The two officers may be fired and potentially face criminal prosecution, Lyons said.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
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An immigration officer chased Aljorna who, according to the government, violently resisted arrest.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Residents without access to off-street parking may move their vehicles to one of the authorized parking areas including Blue Light Lots, City parks, and City Recreation and Senior Centers.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
6 Feb. 2026
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Anyone willing to spend the big bucks on a Super Bowl ticket should only make purchases through authorized sites, like the NFL, or reputable resale sites with buyer guarantees and other consumer protections, the JEC advised.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Official.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/official. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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