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
Officer Espinosa, a beloved member of the 5th Precinct, was a dedicated public servant and cherished colleague, serving her community with courage and compassion.
—
Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
Modi described Pawar as a committed public servant.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026
The attempt to influence a public servant charge carries a potential sentence of two to six years.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 29 Jan. 2026
Both women insist the other was the consummate friend and public servant.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for public servant
Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
Modi described Pawar as a committed public servant.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026
The attempt to influence a public servant charge carries a potential sentence of two to six years.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 29 Jan. 2026
Both women insist the other was the consummate friend and public servant.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for public servant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for public servant
Noun
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Considerable cuts also are anticipated to the City of Long Beach, UCLA and nine community health providers who provide HIV prevention services, including $383,000 for the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s community HIV prevention programs, local officials said.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2026
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Federal officials haven’t indicated when efforts to swear in or interview applicants from these countries will resume.—
Catherine E. Shoichet,
CNN Money,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
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After hours of House of Commons debate, a vote was averted when the government gave in to lawmakers' anger and agreed that the Intelligence and Security Committee would decide what papers should be published, rather than a senior civil servant as Starmer had proposed.—
JILL LAWLESS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
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For civil servants, who have been unfairly vilified, erratically fired and criminally prosecuted.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The military offers its officers a variety of opportunities to get graduate-level education both at war colleges run by the military as well as civilian institutions like Harvard.—
JOCELYN GECKER,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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The trial is part of a broader push to hold more people accountable for a school shooting, a group that has grown to include parents and responding law enforcement officers.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Rather than placing orders with a counter clerk, Luckin customers select and pay for drinks directly through an app.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
8 Feb. 2026
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Less-skilled workers, such as truck drivers and postal clerks, have actually lost ground in terms of income.—
Mark Robert Rank,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Skolnick, 41, who has had a long career as an athletic administrator, played a key role in Delaware’s move to FBS football.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
8 Feb. 2026
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Stakeholder dashboards present performance and financial information in clear, accessible formats, supporting alignment among animal services teams, administrators, and partners.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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However, regulatory pressure on Coupang intensified further after the e-commerce giant suffered a data breach perpetrated by a former Chinese employee in November.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
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However, as our employee survey reminds us every year, people are here to serve the mission, and over the last five years our founders and staff have never wavered in their commitment to helping build a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy and productive life.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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At least three people died and nearly two dozen others were injured after a building used as temporary lodgings for workers caught fire early Friday in a suburb of Hungary's capital, authorities said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
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The warrant for Silva-Parucho, a construction worker with a pending asylum application and valid employment authorization, was therefore invalid, the judge ruled.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That’s assuming state bureaucrats can even figure out the billionaires’ worth.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Chief among the latter is his region’s unnamed UNO (Upazila Nirbahi Officer), a wily mid-level bureaucrat who presents herself as Jahir’s direct line to the big guns, and persistently pulls rank on him with a disarming megawatt smile.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Public servant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/public%20servant. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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