emissary

noun

ˈe-mə-ˌser-ē How to pronounce emissary (audio)
Definition of emissarynext
1
as in ambassador
a person sent on a mission to represent another most of the industrialized nations of the world sent emissaries to the conference on global warming

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in spy
a person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country the embassy's staff likely contains at least one emissary who reports to the home country's chief of intelligence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of emissary Sick of It All were NYHC’s most welcoming emissaries, and their mouthpiece was Lou Koller, whose death was announced Friday. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 25 July 2026 The president’s top-two emissaries also happen to be the highest-profile potential candidates to succeed him. — Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026 The water being is an emissary of a much larger civilization, and the team’s survival ultimately depends on their halting interactions with it. — Jenny Odell, Longreads, 2 June 2026 In 2021, Biden emissaries turned to the Roman Catholic Church for help, former Biden-era officials told USA TODAY. — Rick Jervis, USA Today, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for emissary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emissary
  1. ambassador
  2. spy
  3. envoy
  4. agent
  5. representative
  6. operative
  7. delegate
  8. minister
Noun
  • That said, at one point Eleanor captures Sofia giving Dunst a note about the scene where Marie Antoinette is upbraided by her ambassador (played by Steve Coogan) for paying more attention to sleeve lengths than a looming diplomatic crisis.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Some trends from the past few seasons—think aura nails, latte nails, and cat eyes—will carry over into fall 2026, according to Juli Russell, nail expert and Sally Beauty brand ambassador.
    — Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of ambassador
Noun
  • One woman apparently introduced herself as a Russian spy who is no longer allowed in London.
    — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The destroyer Kang Kon was commissioned into North Korea's navy in the eastern port city of Wonsan Sunday at a ceremony attended by Kim and his teenage daughter, whom South Korea’s spy service calls his likely heir.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of spy
Noun
  • The envoys held extensive conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow the day before.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Le Drian, who is seventy-nine years old and currently serves as France’s special envoy to Lebanon, has worked in the Middle East for nearly two decades.
    — Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of envoy
Noun
  • Their defensive line flipped from fatal flaw to deep, disruptive chaos agent.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • What was the reason, exactly, for agents dressing for battle and toting weapons and riding in boats down the Chicago River?
    — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of agent
Noun
  • The Washington Examiner contacted representatives from the DOJ and the FBI.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Entertainment Weekly has reached out to Cooper’s representatives for comment.
    — Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of representative
Noun
  • Neither allowed al-Qaeda to establish new training camps, and Pakistani authorities, in particular, regularly helped the United States arrest and kill the group’s operatives.
    — Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Locals still had to do shopping in the nearby city of Uruapan, where Mayor Carlos Manzo was gunned down by a cartel operative last year, and work on their farms in the mountains.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of operative
Noun
  • Earlier this year, delegates failed to agree on who to endorse for governor at the state party convention.
    — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • OpenAI's investigation, released this week, went considerably further, describing agents that found unauthorized ways to communicate, collaborate and delegate work while attempting to accomplish their objectives.
    — Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of delegate
Noun
  • As trade talks with Canada remain on ice, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is set to travel to Mexico on Wednesday, according to Mexico’s trade minister.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 9 Sep. 2026
  • However, a jump in the MR4 benchmark does not mean that every Singapore minister will see their salaries increase by that much immediately.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of minister

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emissaries
emissary
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Cite this Entry

“Emissary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emissary. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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