Synonyms of official

official 1 of 2

noun

ə-ˈfi-shəl 

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

• officer
• administrator
• director
• manager
• executive
• functionary
• commissioner
• public servant
• officeholder
• chair
• chairman
• superintendent
• supervisor
• bureaucrat
• regulator
• head
• minion
• flunky
• underling
• co-official

official

2 of 2

adjective

as in authorized

ordered or allowed by those in authority

the official languages for those Olympic Games were French and English

Synonyms & Similar Words

• authorized
• legitimate
• promoted
• legal
• lawful
• sanctioned
• suggested
• authoritative
• supported
• approved
• endorsed
• licensed
• regulation
• permissible
• certified
• legit
• canonical
• semiofficial
• licit
• encouraged
• abetted
• ex officio

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unofficial
• unauthorized
• illegal
• unlawful
• nonofficial
• wrongful
• illicit
• unsanctioned
• illegitimate
• impermissible
• lawless
• unlicensed
• unapproved
• verboten

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of official

Noun

As part of the probe, the staff members lost their security clearances and access to their work devices, which is common practice in internal probes, the officials said. — Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026

At least 14 babies at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences died in a nursery fire Wednesday, while one infant was rescued, according to hospital officials. — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Adjective

These can be weeks before the official tuition due date, to make sure funds arrive in time. — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

Ahead of this year’s World Cup, ADI PredictStreet signed a multiyear agreement to become the tournament’s first official prediction-market partner. — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026