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
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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Callahan was reported missing by campground management after his maintenance cart was discovered unattended at the far end of the campground, officials said.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
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The decision to deny Omar Abdulkadir Artan, a Somali official named Africa’s best male referee in 2025, entry into the US was a shock to the world soccer community that is used to mostly seamless travel for the World Cup.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
Noun
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The problem is the bureaucrats aren't aware of the severity of the issue, while Ira, Harry, and Wayne uncover more facts about the circumstances.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
8 June 2026
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Instead of addressing the problem head-on, the bureaucrats at the Federal Trade Commission launched an antitrust investigation into fertilizer companies.—
Wayne Winegarden,
Oc Register,
7 June 2026
Noun
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Upon arrival, officers discovered multiple victims suffering from gunshot wounds, police said.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
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Residents and festivalgoers were urged to avoid the area and expect a significant law enforcement presence as officers continue their search and investigators work to determine what led to the shooting.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
The estimated number of outstanding ballots to be processed is 148,100, according to the registrar-recorder/county clerk as of the June 8 ballot count update.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
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As part of the deal, prosecutors dropped a felony charge of embezzlement by a clerk or agent, along with an enhancement alleging aggravating circumstances.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
8 June 2026
Noun
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Multiple figures within the sport have alleged, under oath, that members of FIFA accepted bribes in exchange for giving the World Cup to Qatar, a nation that has also been accused of facilitating human rights abuses of the migrant workers who built the country’s stadiums.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
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Minsch added that Switzerland’s reliance on highly qualified foreign workers, especially in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, technology and healthcare.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
13 June 2026
Noun
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Mueller is among the former and current SpaceX employees who own equity in the company, which is set to go public on Friday in the biggest-ever IPO.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
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The employee rejected his advances and reported it to supervisors, Golf Digest reported.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Functionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/functionary. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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