as in ambassador
technical
a person (such as a diplomat) who has complete power to do business for a government
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Recent Examples of plenipotentiary
All empires have, like the Roman Empire, been… The American System and the World Organization
On the day our plenipotentiaries exchange their full powers, an immortal date will be inscribed in American diplomatic history.
—
Ezequiel Padilla, Foreign Affairs, 10 Sep. 2024
Walpole’s most frequent correspondent was Horace Mann, the British plenipotentiary in Florence, Italy.
—Catherine Ostler, WSJ, 15 Apr. 2022
Then came Bob, the king of Thailand’s valet plenipotentiary.
—Alejandro Varela, Harper's magazine, 16 Sep. 2019
Morris was eventually the United States’ plenipotentiary to France and spent years afterward touring Europe and having affairs there.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 4 June 2019
Ezequiel Padilla, Foreign Affairs, 10 Sep. 2024
Walpole’s most frequent correspondent was Horace Mann, the British plenipotentiary in Florence, Italy.
—Catherine Ostler, WSJ, 15 Apr. 2022
Then came Bob, the king of Thailand’s valet plenipotentiary.
—Alejandro Varela, Harper's magazine, 16 Sep. 2019
Morris was eventually the United States’ plenipotentiary to France and spent years afterward touring Europe and having affairs there.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 4 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plenipotentiary
Noun
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Commercial conversations Earlier this month, the UK government convened a meeting of defense companies to meet ambassadors and defense attaches from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Iraq and Jordan.—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
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Guess named the South Korean rapper, singer and member of the K-pop group Stray Kids its first global brand ambassador for both Guess and Guess Jeans brands earlier this month.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Lianys Torres Rivera, the top Cuban diplomat, wouldn't reveal any details on the ongoing talks between Washington and Havana and stressed that Cuba will retain its sovereignty.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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Politico reported that the expectation going into the meeting was to coordinate action, rather than define a concrete plan, according to two EU diplomats who were in attendance.—
Matthew Robinson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The trouble, rather, is that even our top foreign-policy experts and our most sophisticated diplomatists are creatures of our own cultural heritage and intellectual environment.—
Nicholas Eberstadt,
National Review,
11 Sep. 2017
Noun
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The aiyi have sent an emissary to Scythia, who will determine whether the colonists deserve to survive.—
Stephanie Burt,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
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Jeremy Hansen The Canadian fighter pilot and physicist is making his space debut, which is stressful enough, but also serving as his country’s first emissary to the moon.—
Marcia Dunn,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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However, papal legates—diplomatic representatives—continue their external functions.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Apr. 2025
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In the 1520s Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal legate of England, drove forward a similar program of moral and financial reform, winding up a further 29 monasteries.—
Crawford Gribben,
WSJ,
29 Apr. 2022
Noun
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An attempt to fill the gap failed after the US rejected MTN chairman Mcebisi Jonas’ credentials to serve as special envoy.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The deployments have made Iranian diplomatic envoys even more dubious that American peace efforts are sincere.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Continue reading … NUCLEAR AMBITIONS — Marco Rubio blasts Iranian foreign minister as 'a liar' about missile capabilities.—
,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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Previously, Velasco had served as spokesperson for Marcelo Ebrard, the current economy secretary, when Ebrard was Mexico’s foreign minister during the first part of former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Part of what contributes to the slim odds is the fact that Morris is seeking to move the process forward using Christian arbitration, while Gateway wants to use a standard legal approach, Morris’ attorney Bill Mateja told the Star-Telegram last July.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
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Even attorneys who specialize in wills, trusts, estate planning and probate may have no experience dealing with Chapter 415 of the Florida Statutes.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plenipotentiary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plenipotentiary. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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