deputy
noun
dep·u·ty
ˈde-pyə-tē 
plural deputies
often attributive
1
a
: a person appointed as a substitute with power to act
b
: a second in command or assistant who usually takes charge when his or her superior is absent
2
: a member of the lower house of some legislative assemblies
Synonyms
Examples of deputy in a Sentence
the club president sent a deputy to the conference to vote on our behalf
a deputy supervisor to help out with routine tasks
Recent Examples on the Web
Sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene about 10:40 p.m. after a ShotSpotter activation and a 911 call.
—
Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 15 Apr. 2024
Syracuse police and Onondaga County sheriff's deputies responded to the address, where a man opened fire on the law enforcement officers, police said.
—Jolie Lash, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2024
Sharon Russell, deputy incident commander for the Key Bridge Unified Command, said workers are moving quickly but carefully, balancing the economic imperative of reopening one of the nation’s largest ports and the safety of salvage workers.
—Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 15 Apr. 2024
Instead of authorities offering medical help, the lawsuit says, Tarrant County sheriff’s deputies arrived and placed Masten under arrest.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Apr. 2024
That’s the date Contra Costa Sheriff’s deputies arrested 45-year-old Robert Brown and seized two cellphones from his Corvette after a police chase in Bay Point.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024
Bon Appétit’s deputy food editor, Hana Asbrink, who ate miyeokguk, Korean seaweed soup, every day for over a year after giving birth to her daughter, contributed her thoughts.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appétit, 11 Apr. 2024
Campbell, serving in the White House under President Joe Biden as Asia czar, had precious little to say about Myanmar then, nor did lawmakers ask him about Myanmar during his recent confirmation as deputy secretary of state.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
In Collegeville, Pennsylvania, a woman died after a tree fell on her car during storms Wednesday, according to Montgomery County’s deputy director of public safety and NBC Philadelphia.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 15 Apr. 2024
Syracuse police and Onondaga County sheriff's deputies responded to the address, where a man opened fire on the law enforcement officers, police said.
—Jolie Lash, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2024
Sharon Russell, deputy incident commander for the Key Bridge Unified Command, said workers are moving quickly but carefully, balancing the economic imperative of reopening one of the nation’s largest ports and the safety of salvage workers.
—Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 15 Apr. 2024
Instead of authorities offering medical help, the lawsuit says, Tarrant County sheriff’s deputies arrived and placed Masten under arrest.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Apr. 2024
That’s the date Contra Costa Sheriff’s deputies arrested 45-year-old Robert Brown and seized two cellphones from his Corvette after a police chase in Bay Point.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024
Bon Appétit’s deputy food editor, Hana Asbrink, who ate miyeokguk, Korean seaweed soup, every day for over a year after giving birth to her daughter, contributed her thoughts.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appétit, 11 Apr. 2024
Campbell, serving in the White House under President Joe Biden as Asia czar, had precious little to say about Myanmar then, nor did lawmakers ask him about Myanmar during his recent confirmation as deputy secretary of state.
—Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
In Collegeville, Pennsylvania, a woman died after a tree fell on her car during storms Wednesday, according to Montgomery County’s deputy director of public safety and NBC Philadelphia.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deputy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near deputy
Cite this Entry
“Deputy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deputy. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deputy
noun
dep·u·ty
ˈdep-yət-ē
plural deputies
1
: a person appointed to act for or in place of another
2
: an assistant who usually takes charge when his or her superior is absent
deputy
adjective
Legal Definition
deputy
noun
dep·u·ty
ˈde-pyə-tē
plural deputies
1
: a person appointed as a substitute with power to act
2
: a second in command or assistant who usually takes charge when his or her superior is absent
specifically
: deputy sheriff
Etymology
Middle French deputé person appointed to exercise authority, from past participle of deputer to appoint, depute
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