1
as in official
a person who holds a public office
the new governor made a vow that he would always remember why he was called a public servant
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in civil servant
a worker in a government agency
concerned that the new federal agency would just add another slew of public servants to the government payroll
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of public servant
For an-hour-and-half, more than two dozen people shared their memories of Metayer Bowen, and she was repeatedly called a public servant rather than a politician.
—
Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
Peters was convicted of three counts of attempting to influence a public servant and one count each of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, first-degree official misconduct, violation of duty and failure to comply with the requirements of the secretary of state.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Peters was convicted in 2024 on seven criminal charges, including felony attempt to influence a public servant.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Mueller will be remembered as an eminent public servant.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for public servant
Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
Peters was convicted of three counts of attempting to influence a public servant and one count each of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, first-degree official misconduct, violation of duty and failure to comply with the requirements of the secretary of state.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Peters was convicted in 2024 on seven criminal charges, including felony attempt to influence a public servant.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Mueller will be remembered as an eminent public servant.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for public servant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for public servant
Noun
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Submitting a false affidavit could constitute perjury, officials say.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Wildlife officials aren't sure exactly what happened, but believe his mother may have abandoned him because of missing toes on his hind foot.—
Itay Hod,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Over the past several weeks, CBS News has spoken with roughly two dozen Department of Homeland Security personnel spanning career civil servants, uniformed personnel and frontline staff about the institutional strain caused by the partial government shutdown, now in its 68th day.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
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Starmer faced a hostile Parliament Monday over his appointment of the disgraced Peter Mandelson as US ambassador; the premier blamed civil servants, a high-risk strategy given that one of those civil servants will be questioned by lawmakers today.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The suspect drove through several red lights while officers trailed behind in the Westchester, Inglewood and South LA neighborhoods.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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The Tulare County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) said in a statement shared on Facebook that Morales opened fire on them, striking an officer later identified as Deputy Randy Hoppert, 35.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The clerk then agreed not to exclude particular groups from the pool.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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In a letter to the clerk's office, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon requested election records, including all ballots, envelopes and receipts.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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With a unique background as both a former classroom teacher and a network administrator, Grenier has led the district in building reliable, accessible technology systems that support teaching and learning for all students and staff.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2026
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Residents of Islamabad have been reading between the lines about when these talks might take place, after administrators in both Islamabad and its sister city, Rawalpindi, denied reports on Saturday that commercial activity and transport were being curtailed.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The closures affected some 14,000 employees at the time.—
Samantha Gowen,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
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Clayton Peavey, 31, used a concrete brick to attack a Chick-fil-A employee in March, leaving her with several gashes on her head and requiring stitches.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The hospitality union represents roughly 2,000 workers at the arena, potentially disrupting one of the biggest sporting events in the world.—
Luzdelia Caballero,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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In April 2009, a unanimous council — including first-year member Todd Gloria — embraced Sanders’ plan to impose a 6% cut in pay and benefits for city workers, cutting the shortfall in half.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
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When city bureaucrats saw as liabilities schools that had been denied resources, parents saw community anchors.—
Stacy Davis Gates,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
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This would reset the balance between the executive and legislative branches, demanding the House and Senate not cede excessive authority to unelected bureaucrats who are only too happy to usurp legislative powers.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Public servant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/public%20servant. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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