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

Last week, a federal appeals court declined to order California officials to set aside those ballots. — Austin Turner, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026

Health officials urged residents not to touch bats, especially those that appear sick or dead, and to keep their pets’ rabies vaccinations current. — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026

Adjective

Kate Middleton first wore the earrings publicly in 2016 and has since chosen them for significant moments, including Princess Eugenie’s wedding in 2018 and her own official 40th birthday portraits in 2022. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 8 Nov. 2026

Her search for her father becomes a journey into identity, belonging and the lives of people left out of official historical accounts. — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 8 Nov. 2026