as in officer
a person who holds a public office
some of our best public officials do their jobs quietly and are never in the news
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in authorized
ordered or allowed by those in authority
the official languages for those Olympic Games were French and English
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of official
Joanna Moriello, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
The girl was taken into protective custody, officials said.
—Mark Price
april 29, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2026
Wendy Naugle, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Luiz Felipe Brandao de Mello, head of Brazil's agency tasked with enforcing national labor standards, was removed from his post, according to an official government gazette.
—Evelyn Cheng,matthew Chin, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for official
Noun
The royals spent the afternoon at the 9/11 Memorial to pay their respects with former NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg and other local officials.
—Joanna Moriello, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
The girl was taken into protective custody, officials said.
—Mark Price
april 29, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams are official co-chairs, Lauren Sanchez Bezos will be there, plus many more stars.
—Wendy Naugle, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Luiz Felipe Brandao de Mello, head of Brazil's agency tasked with enforcing national labor standards, was removed from his post, according to an official government gazette.
—Evelyn Cheng,matthew Chin, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for official
Recent Examples of Synonyms for official
Noun
-
Upon arrival, officers discovered a man in his 20s with apparent gunshot wounds.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
2 May 2026
-
Farrug attempted to drive away, but one officer stopped him while another put the car in park.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Finally, call an authorized manufacturer dealer to check for open recalls.—
Mahsa Saeidi,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
As an authorized retailer, Compare Internet offers a full-service experience to its users.—
Wyles Daniel,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Official.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/official. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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