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

Relevance

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

Election officials say the program is prone to errors, but it is being promoted by people who have cast doubts about the 2020 election, including staffers of the Georgia State Election Board.

— Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 23 July 2026
The tradition, known as lördagsgodis, began in the 1950s by Swedish health officials to encourage limiting candy-eating to once a week and prevent cavities.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 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

When officers approached the vehicle, the man pulled a handgun and officers fired on him, Garcia said.

— Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 July 2026
That evening, midnight-shift officers spotted the animal trotting on a residential street in the area and slowly pursued it in a patrol vehicle, some of which was shown in a short video clip the police department posted on social media Friday.

— Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 26 July 2026

Definition of officer

Noun

The former clerk has also been a vocal defender of Kansas City’s new congressional district, which Republicans redrew last year.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
The lawsuit asks a judge to order the Wisconsin Elections Commission not to distribute its guidance to the roughly 2,000 clerks who run elections at the local level that says voters can't request a new ballot.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Functionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/functionary. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of functionary

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on functionary

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

aerie

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes