Thesaurus results for FUNCTIONARY

functionary

noun

ˈfəŋ(k)-shə-ˌner-ē

Definition of functionary

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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as in bureaucrat

a worker in a government agency the faceless functionaries at the Internal Revenue Service

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 functionary But as the courts whittle away at the power of government functionaries to interpret vague congressional statutes, at least one federal agency has apparently chosen lawless rebellion. — Editorial, Boston Herald, 5 Nov. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for functionary

Recent Examples of Synonyms for functionary

Noun

Elsewhere, Bahrain’s interior ministry said sirens were sounding and Kuwaiti army officials said air defenses were also fielding drone attacks.

— Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
State officials say the legislation is intended to attract companies developing next-generation energy technologies.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 July 2026

Definition of official

Noun

Collecting bureaucrats’ signatures is at best a distraction from those efforts.

— Editorial, Boston Herald, 16 July 2026
These incidents rarely appear in the statistics politicians and bureaucrats cite when assuring the public that downtown is moving in the right direction.

— Jonathan Beaton, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2026

Definition of bureaucrat

Noun

No video has surfaced depicting the moment of the shooting and none of the officers were wearing body cameras.

— Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
Hopkinson and chief financial officer Simon Capper visited Nyon, Switzerland, on multiple occasions, while the CEO also spoke to governing-body representatives in Budapest before the Champions League final in May.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 July 2026

Definition of officer

Noun

But hundreds of family court records obtained from the Augusta District Court clerk’s office detail years of allegations of physical and verbal abuse raised by his second ex-wife on behalf of herself and his daughters.

— Julia Ainsley, NBC news, 17 July 2026
Rice was 13 months old and never got to know his father, a body builder and supermarket stock clerk, according to the Rockland/Westchester Journal News.

— Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 17 July 2026

Definition of clerk

Noun

The building appears to be still in the framing stage with workers making adjustments to the concrete pylons as cars zip past.

— Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026
From a human trafficking sweep, to a mistrial in the K Street mass shooting case, to a look at a state worker Reddit community, here’s a rundown of the top Sacramento stories on July 21.

— Ruyuan Li. Summary produced by AI assistance, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of worker

Noun

Two Boston city councilors are pushing for a change in city law that would require Mayor Michelle Wu to report street projects annually as Wu faces criticism for stalling road work before a city employee was killed by a truck.

— Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 22 July 2026
As companies lack clear personal branding policies, Taylor believes employees like her are proactively shaping future corporate guidelines, volunteering to lead this evolving professional frontier.

— Jasmine Browley, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of employee

Browse Nearby Words

functionaries

functionary

functioned

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“Functionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/functionary. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of functionary

noun

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