: an important official of a shire or county charged primarily with judicial duties (such as executing the processes and orders of courts and judges)
Examples of sheriff in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The sheriff's office did not clarify whether the man was killed after being hit by either the first or second vehicle.
—
Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Oct. 2025
She is believed to have been attacked the day before her body was discovered, per the sheriff’s office.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
The sheriff’s spokesperson did not have any further details about the investigation to release.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2025
The child then ran off and alerted a teacher, according to the sheriff’s office.
—Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
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Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Oct. 2025
She is believed to have been attacked the day before her body was discovered, per the sheriff’s office.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
The sheriff’s spokesperson did not have any further details about the investigation to release.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2025
The child then ran off and alerted a teacher, according to the sheriff’s office.
—Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sheriff
Cite this Entry
“Sheriff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sheriff. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sheriff
noun
sher·iff
ˈsher-əf 
: an official of a county who is in charge of enforcing the law
Etymology
Middle English shirreve "sheriff," from Old English scīrgerēfa "sheriff," from scīr "shire, county" and gerēfa "a government agent"
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