Secretary of State
noun phrase
1
: the head of the U.S. government department that is in charge of how the country relates to and deals with foreign countries
2
: the head of one of several important departments of the British government
the Secretary of State for Home Affairs
Examples of Secretary of State in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At least two dozen other potential initiatives are either in the signature-gathering or legal review phase, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
—
William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2025
Bradley Whitford plays Secretary of State James Blaine, the head of the Half-Breed faction that often clashed with Stalwarts like Arthur and Conkling.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Nov. 2025
In 2012, the Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission unanimously voted to rename the state’s largest airport to honor former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
While many key figures—including Bush and then-Secretary of State Colin Powell—later expressed regret over the absence of WMDs and policy missteps, Cheney famously defended the invasion and the narrative around it in the following years.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Secretary of State
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.
William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2025
Bradley Whitford plays Secretary of State James Blaine, the head of the Half-Breed faction that often clashed with Stalwarts like Arthur and Conkling.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Nov. 2025
In 2012, the Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission unanimously voted to rename the state’s largest airport to honor former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
While many key figures—including Bush and then-Secretary of State Colin Powell—later expressed regret over the absence of WMDs and policy missteps, Cheney famously defended the invasion and the narrative around it in the following years.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Secretary of State
Cite this Entry
“Secretary of State.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Secretary%20of%20State. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share