diplomat

noun

dip·​lo·​mat ˈdi-plə-ˌmat How to pronounce diplomat (audio)
: one employed or skilled in diplomacy
a foreign diplomat

Examples of diplomat in a Sentence

The President will be meeting with foreign diplomats. He's a talented architect but a poor diplomat.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The American Foreign Service Association, a union that represents tens of thousands of former and current diplomats, said Friday the layoffs are an indication to allies the U.S. is retreating from the global arena. Filip Timotija, The Hill, 11 July 2025 The State Department is warning U.S. diplomats of attempts to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and possibly other officials using technology driven by artificial intelligence, according to two senior officials and a cable sent last week to all embassies and consulates. Matthew Lee, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025 Details of the talks remain scarce, but the Wall Street Journal, quoting an unnamed EU diplomat, reported that EU Commission officials have told member states options boil down to accepting an agreement that heavily favors the U.S. or rejecting a deal and facing more unpredictability. Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025 Ximena has plans for a career as a diplomat in order to help maintain goodwill among countries. News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for diplomat

Word History

Etymology

French diplomate, back-formation from diplomatique

First Known Use

1813, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of diplomat was in 1813

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Diplomat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diplomat. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

diplomat

noun
dip·​lo·​mat ˈdip-lə-ˌmat How to pronounce diplomat (audio)
: a person employed or skilled in diplomacy

More from Merriam-Webster on diplomat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!