public servants

noun

plural of public servant
1
as in officials
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 servants
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of public servants The California state worker Reddit page, found at r/CAStateWorkers, has long served as the online water cooler for the thousands of public servants across the state. — William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2026 On Wednesday, July 15, the monarch visited Heroes On The Water Isle of Man, a charity that supports military veterans, emergency service personnel and other uniformed public servants through kayak angling and outdoor activities. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026 The Coalition urges Congress to ensure that Tiered Standard payments count for PSLF, allowing more public servants access to forgiveness. — Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 As public servants and the keepers of this institution, we are charged with helping a nation find understanding, hope, and clarity and as part of that duty, we are dedicated to excellence, reflection, and growth. — Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2026 As public servants and the keepers of this institution, we are charged with helping a nation find understanding, hope and clarity and as part of that duty, we are dedicated to excellence, reflection and growth. — Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 9 July 2026 Kean comes from a long line of public servants, stretching 250 years to the country’s founding when one of his ancestors became New Jersey’s first leader since independence. — Mike Catalini, Fortune, 30 June 2026 Pelosi said the institute will train advocates, organizers, and public servants of many stripes. — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 Americans are accustomed to showing wide deference to senior military leaders, treating them as dutiful public servants rather than possible enablers of presidential lawlessness. — Jon Duffy, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for public servants
  1. officials
  2. civil servants
  3. officers
  4. employees
  5. bureaucrats
  6. workers
Noun
  • State officials have also indicated their opposition but have yet to take legal action themselves.
    — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026
  • Mississippi’s medical examiner has completed Nolan Wells’ autopsy report, officials told NBC News on Thursday.
    — Kenzi Abou-Sabe, NBC news, 31 July 2026
Definition of officials
Noun
  • The proposals are first subject to formal verification by civil servants and after which there is a final vote.
    — Tax Notes Staff, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The newest proposal to plug them — a nondisclosure agreement that federal agencies may roll out to more than 2 million civil servants — is unlikely to improve matters.
    — Editorial, Boston Herald, 16 July 2026
Definition of civil servants
Noun
  • On Saturday night, Fort Worth police shot and killed another suspect who pulled a gun on officers following a short car chase that ended near the I-35W service road on the city’s far south side, Garcia said.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 July 2026
  • Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn will move to propose measures related to waiving Boston Police Department residency requirements and allowing retired officers to take shifts as the department faces ongoing staffing challenges.
    — Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 27 July 2026
Definition of officers
Noun
  • In 2022, when the bank started requiring employees to return to the office as COVID-era restrictions eased, Arbuckle requested to continue working from home instead of commuting to uptown Charlotte.
    — Chase Jordan July 30, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026
  • Apple employees were banned after a raucous night of celebrations, but were welcomed back decades later when Marc & Rose Hospitality purchased the hotel in 2011.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
Definition of employees
Noun
  • Porter sketched Trotsky holding forth at a conference table, proselytizing to the American bureaucrats.
    — Dan Chiasson, The New York Review of Books, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Businesses and bureaucrats got an early indicator this week of whether the World Cup was worth the cost for Los Angeles — beer sales.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of bureaucrats
Noun
  • City inspectors soon found site safety issues, including workers who were operating machinery without proper certification and an unpermitted supported scaffold in use, according to the Department of Buildings.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • The talent drain is only expected to intensify as older workers and managers age out of their present roles.
    — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of workers

Browse Nearby Words

public servant
public servants
public speaking
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Cite this Entry

“Public servants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/public%20servants. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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