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
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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
Unlike the party functionaries picked previously, all three grew up in the labor movement.
—
John Samuelsen, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2025
The hosts were Peter Yates, a functionary at the California Department of Employment, and his wife, the pianist Frances Mullen.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
The play drew on the verbatim testimony of SS officers, Nazi functionaries and camp survivors, to reconstruct the genocidal horror in harrowing, undeniable detail.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025
Geoffrey Mason was barely 30, a control-room functionary working a down day at the 1972 Munich Olympics, when history called on a push-button phone.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for functionary
John Samuelsen, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2025
The hosts were Peter Yates, a functionary at the California Department of Employment, and his wife, the pianist Frances Mullen.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
The play drew on the verbatim testimony of SS officers, Nazi functionaries and camp survivors, to reconstruct the genocidal horror in harrowing, undeniable detail.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025
Geoffrey Mason was barely 30, a control-room functionary working a down day at the 1972 Munich Olympics, when history called on a push-button phone.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for functionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for functionary
Noun
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The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
1 July 2025
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According to The Glasgow Times, Irish broadcaster RTE, and the BBC, officials say the human leg belongs to a person who went missing outside of Scotland.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
People.com,
1 July 2025
Noun
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The bureaucrats in charge chose to lie to the public about this unpleasant fact.—
Josh Mazer,
Baltimore Sun,
9 July 2025
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Historically, even when politicians and bureaucrats act in good faith to help workers earn more money, tipping policy changes have created unintended consequences because managers and customers have reacted to them in unpredictable ways.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
2 July 2025
Noun
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The new ban includes exemptions for expressing constitutional rights, obstructing access when disabled, requesting emergency aid, and complying with an officer’s directives to leave or accept services.—
Tim Clouser,
The Washington Examiner,
1 July 2025
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The other officer, George Feinauer, was injured during the incident but is expected to recover, Smith said.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
1 July 2025
Noun
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After the vote, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, forced Senate clerks to read the entire 940-page bill rather than customarily waiving that chore.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
30 June 2025
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The clerk forced to read every word of the 1,000-page bill, a delaying tactic by Democrats who really can't do anything else to slow the president's agenda.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 June 2025
Noun
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As the number of raids on workers and families escalates, ICE agents will engage in more warrantless knocks on doors, searches, and arrests.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
9 July 2025
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Instead, the workplace economy must foster a system that shares risk, prioritizes results, and better supports workers through the full journey to economic mobility.—
Jason Wingard,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Noun
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Several former employees have sued Tesla and Musk’s other companies for discrimination or various labor law violations.—
Karoline Leonard,
Austin American Statesman,
8 July 2025
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A lot of health care providers don't know what their rights are, Gounder said, prompting at least some hospitals to offer employees guidance on potential ICE encounters.—
Sarah Lynch Baldwin,
CBS News,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Functionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/functionary. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
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