special counsel
noun
: counsel appointed to fill a particular need: as
a
: a federal government official appointed by the Attorney General to investigate and prosecute government corruption in cases where the Attorney General's office has a conflict of interest
b
: a federal government official appointed to protect federal employees from illegal practices by employers and especially from employer reprisal for whistleblowing
Examples of special counsel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ballou, who is working with the press freedom groups, previously served as a Justice Department special counsel with expertise in private equity transactions.
—
Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
Garland also appointed special counsels to handle sensitive investigations into Biden and into his son, Hunter Biden.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Those records would eventually be available to Congress, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, or a future special counsel.
—Patrick Eddington, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
In one 2020 opinion, the OLC found that government employees who were interviewed as witnesses in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election who hired private lawyers were eligible for reimbursement.
—Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
In addition to the hush money matter, Blanche represented Trump in the two cases brought by the special counsel, his 2020 election interference case in Washington and the Florida case accusing the former president of hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Contrast Mueller’s approach with that of the next special counsel to investigate a president, Robert Hur.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
The document offers a snapshot of an early moment in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation and adds new shading to the public understanding of Smith’s probes.
—Jeremy Roebuck, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2026
Mueller's tenure as special counsel was the capstone of a career spent in government.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Mar. 2026
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Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
Garland also appointed special counsels to handle sensitive investigations into Biden and into his son, Hunter Biden.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Those records would eventually be available to Congress, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, or a future special counsel.
—Patrick Eddington, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
In one 2020 opinion, the OLC found that government employees who were interviewed as witnesses in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election who hired private lawyers were eligible for reimbursement.
—Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
In addition to the hush money matter, Blanche represented Trump in the two cases brought by the special counsel, his 2020 election interference case in Washington and the Florida case accusing the former president of hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Contrast Mueller’s approach with that of the next special counsel to investigate a president, Robert Hur.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
The document offers a snapshot of an early moment in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation and adds new shading to the public understanding of Smith’s probes.
—Jeremy Roebuck, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2026
Mueller's tenure as special counsel was the capstone of a career spent in government.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Special counsel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/special%20counsel. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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