as in ambassador
a person sent on a mission to represent another
the legate was charged with a list of objectives to accomplish on behalf of his country
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Recent Examples of legate
However, papal legates—diplomatic representatives—continue their external functions.
—
Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025
In the 1520s Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal legate of England, drove forward a similar program of moral and financial reform, winding up a further 29 monasteries.
—Crawford Gribben, WSJ, 29 Apr. 2022
The Franciscan Plano Carpini, who traveled the empire as papal legate in 1246, described a draconian tax collector demanding one in three boys from every Russian family, as well as unmarried women.
—Colin Thubron, The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2021
The wife of the ailing emperor sends an Imperial legate — her nephew — to investigate.
—N. K. Jemisin, New York Times, 14 July 2017
That Francis forced Festing’s resignation without deigning to pick up Burke’s gauntlet was further vindication of the Pope, who will soon appoint his own legate to run the Order.
—James Carroll, The New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2017
Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025
In the 1520s Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal legate of England, drove forward a similar program of moral and financial reform, winding up a further 29 monasteries.
—Crawford Gribben, WSJ, 29 Apr. 2022
The Franciscan Plano Carpini, who traveled the empire as papal legate in 1246, described a draconian tax collector demanding one in three boys from every Russian family, as well as unmarried women.
—Colin Thubron, The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2021
The wife of the ailing emperor sends an Imperial legate — her nephew — to investigate.
—N. K. Jemisin, New York Times, 14 July 2017
That Francis forced Festing’s resignation without deigning to pick up Burke’s gauntlet was further vindication of the Pope, who will soon appoint his own legate to run the Order.
—James Carroll, The New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for legate
Noun
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And the desk chairs weave a story of Nevis, adorned with nods to its lush flora and playful green vervet monkeys, the iconic ambassadors of the island.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
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In recent years, Bohon became one of 120 ambassadors selected for the #IfThenSheCan exhibit, which encourages girls to pursue careers in STEM.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The leadership role was approved without objection during a meeting of the commission, where delegates adopted agenda items and organizational decisions by consensus.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
12 Feb. 2026
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The next morning, the delegates insisted that a photograph be made to commemorate the nomination.—
Harold Holzer,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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At the end of last week, after another long day of talks in Abu Dhabi, Ukraine’s envoys huddled around a phone for a call with their boss, who was waiting in Kyiv to hear their report.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
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Emails included in the files show Andrew sent details of his official trade envoy trips in Singapore, Vietnam, Shenzhen in China and Hong Kong to Epstein in 2010.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Fox News Digital previously reached out to Ferguson’s representative for comment about the DOJ's release.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
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Neither representatives for the musician nor football star immediately responded to requests for comment on Tuesday.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The most public sign of tension was the South African mining minister’s criticism of DR Congo for signing its recent minerals deal with Washington.—
Alexis Akwagyiram,
semafor.com,
13 Feb. 2026
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In addition to Brooks’s attack on Sumner, Quincy noted that a Tennessee minister had been forced to leave his church after denouncing the beating of an enslaved person, and a Virginia politician had been barred from returning home after attending a northern political convention.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Legate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/legate. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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