1
as in official
a person who holds a public office
spoke to high-ranking functionaries at the embassy in the hopes that they could help
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in bureaucrat
a worker in a government agency
the faceless functionaries at the Internal Revenue Service
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of functionary
Bigelow’s sympathetic eye for her functionaries risks the film being misread as an argument for more robust military funding.
—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Evil is aided and abetted by the banality of institutions and their functionaries.
—
Literary Hub,
17 Oct. 2025
Since then, there have been many more arrests—especially of regional functionaries at various levels.
—
Andrei Kolesnikov,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Sep. 2025
But this newsletter is more focused on how Trump and his fawning functionaries speak about and for him.
—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for functionary
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Evil is aided and abetted by the banality of institutions and their functionaries.
—
Literary Hub,
17 Oct. 2025
Since then, there have been many more arrests—especially of regional functionaries at various levels.
—
Andrei Kolesnikov,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Sep. 2025
But this newsletter is more focused on how Trump and his fawning functionaries speak about and for him.
—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for functionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for functionary
Noun
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According to department officials, the complaint alleged that when girls object to sharing spaces with boys, the district puts the burden on the girls to find other facilities.
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The State Department has already mobilized a disaster assistance team and task force to deliver and coordinate critical assistance to Venezuelans, including search and rescue teams, medical supplies, and humanitarian resources, according to senior State Department official Jeremy Lewin.
Noun
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Giving the president more direct control over who serves on those bodies has long been a goal of conservatives, who have objected to unelected bureaucrats wielding too much power with little accountability.
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The Bay Area was handed, unquestionably, the worst slate of group-stage games FIFA’s bureaucrats could manifest — five equivalents of a Tuesday night MACtion football game in a November blizzard.
Noun
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Local and state officials have not identified the officer who opened fire.
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Police said officers in the area quickly located a person matching the suspect's description, prompting a foot pursuit.
Noun
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That belief is guiding the work of the clerk’s office.
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Colorado's county clerks want voters to know that elections are administered by dedicated public servants who work every day to ensure ballots are handled securely, accurately, and transparently.
Noun
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And as many companies continue to prioritize in-person workers for promotions, this gap will likely widen even further over time.
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But this year, the union, which covers nine bargaining units and represents nearly 100,000 state workers, is not currently scheduled to receive a raise this summer.
Noun
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In May, the EEOC filed a discrimination lawsuit against the New York Times alleging discrimination against a white male employee, which the Times has rejected as politically motivated.
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Others said employees should come into the office and experience what could be one of Atlanta’s most significant moments on the global stage.
Cite this Entry
“Functionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/functionary. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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