semiofficial

adjective semi·of·fi·cial \ ˌse-mē-ə-ˈfi-shəl , ˌse-ˌmī- , -mi- , -ō- \

|Updated on: 8 Jul 2018

Definition of semiofficial

: having some official authority or standing

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semiofficially

play \ˌse-mē-ˈfi-sh(ə-)lē, ˌse-ˌmī-, -mi-, -ō-\ adverb

See semiofficial defined for kids

Recent Examples of semiofficial from the Web

Gholamreza Sharafi, a parliament member from Abadan, told the semiofficial Iranian Labor News Agency.

— asa fitch, WSJ, "New Unrest Roils Iran as U.S. Ramps Up Pressure," 1 July 2018
Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim News Agency reported Tuesday that the country has no plan to increase the range of its missiles, which can reach 1,240 miles.

— Washington Post, "World Digest: June 19, 2018," 19 June 2018
Iran last week condemned the Israeli attack on Syria, semiofficial media reported, citing Bahram Ghasemi, the spokesman for the country’s foreign ministry.

— raja abdulrahim, WSJ, "Tougher Israeli Posture in Syria Tests Russia-Iran Alliance," 14 May 2018
Iranian military commanders welcomed Mr. Trump’s decision, the semiofficial news agency ISNA reported.

— thomas erdbrink, New York Times, "Iran May Step Up Nuclear Program, Supreme Leader Says," 9 May 2018
The first semiofficial gestural fan language was written by a Spanish man known simply as Fenella.

— madeleine luckel, Vogue, "Why It’s Time to Revisit the Handheld Fan—And Its Secret Language," 24 Apr. 2018
The semiofficial Fars news agency initially said that three were members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, but the report was later withdrawn without explanation.

— thomas erdbrink, New York Times, "Iran Threatens Israel Over Airstrike in Syria," 10 Apr. 2018
South Korea’s semiofficial Yonhap news agency reported that Washington’s former ambassador to Seoul, Kathleen Stephens, would attend.

— andrew jeong, WSJ, "North Korea to Meet for Talks With U.S., South Korean Delegations in Helsinki," 18 Mar. 2018
The semiofficial Fars News Agency said a Sufi follower rammed a bus into police officers, killing three of them before being arrested late Monday.

— Washington Post, "World Digest: Feb. 20, 2018," 20 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'semiofficial.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.