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

State media reported a strike on a railway bridge in Iran’s northeastern Golestan province, and the Revolutionary Guard said two bridges were attacked on the route to Mashhad, where officials plan to bury the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday.

— Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
In a staff report describing the proposal, city officials said the user fees would simply allow the city to recover its costs for enforcing wage laws and helping businesses understand those laws and how to comply with them.

— David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2026

Definition of official

Noun

America’s mothers deserve better than to have their financial tools quietly stripped away by out-of-touch bureaucrats.

— Raquel Mitchell, Boston Herald, 8 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

But a DeKalb County officer recently had his firearm in one hand and handcuffs in the other while trying to arrest a teenager who was on the ground with his hands behind his back.

— Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 12 July 2026
In the event authorities spot a drone, Link said officers make efforts to locate the flyers and warn them to land.

— Sydney Brammer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2026

Definition of officer

Noun

Buses come and go, bearing workers from all over the country.

— Cristina Dorador, The Dial, 14 July 2026
Childs has been running Bectu, which represents the interests of behind-the-camera workers across TV, film and theater, since 2018, overseeing 10,000 new subscribers and an expansion into areas like live events and fashion.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 14 July 2026

Definition of worker

Browse Nearby Words

functionaries

functionary

functioned

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Style

“Functionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/functionary. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of functionary

noun

Example Sentences

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