semiofficial

adjective

Definition of semiofficialnext
as in official

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar 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 semiofficial Seizures come at tense diplomatic moment Iranian semiofficial news agencies reported that Chinese ships began passing through the strait Wednesday night under new Iranian protocols. — Adam Schreck, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026 Iranian semiofficial news agencies reported that Chinese ships began passing through the Strait of Hormuz Wednesday night under new Iranian protocols. — ABC News, 14 May 2026 In southern Iran, explosions were heard near Bandar Abbas, semiofficial Iranian news agencies said. — Arkansas Online, 8 May 2026 Iran denied an attack, the semiofficial Iranian outlets Fars and Tabnak reported, and said a passing ship had been stopped for a documents check as part of monitoring. — Adam Schreck, Fortune, 3 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for semiofficial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for semiofficial
  1. official
  2. legitimate
  3. legal
  4. lawful
Adjective
  • Waidbacher was on a commission that recommended the building be used either for a charitable or an official administrative purpose.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • Some of these websites look like official storefronts for campaigns but are scams.
    — Sophia Eppley, AJC.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of official
Adjective
  • Misuse of a medication is not an argument against its legitimate medical use.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 18 July 2026
  • But do Gillibrand and Schumer know any legitimate uses of crypto?
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 18 July 2026
Definition of legitimate
Adjective
  • In December 2024, a Bucharest court ruled that the first case against the Tates and their two female associates couldn't proceed to trial because of multiple legal and procedural irregularities and sent it back to prosecutors.
    — Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • And some legal experts are now questioning whether the department is playing politics in an unprecedented way with a high-profile criminal investigation.
    — Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
Definition of legal
Adjective
  • At the same time, peaceful political speech, religious expression, and lawful protest must not be treated as terrorism.
    — Stephen V. Iacullo, Sun Sentinel, 16 July 2026
  • Scammers often pretend to be lawyers offering ways to avoid in-person court hearings, taking advantage of anxieties among even lawful residents after ICE officers began rounding up people during immigration proceedings.
    — Naisha Roy, ProPublica, 16 July 2026
Definition of lawful

Browse Nearby Words

seminude
semiofficial
semipopular
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Semiofficial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/semiofficial. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of maverick

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All