Synonyms of envoy
1
a
: a minister plenipotentiary accredited to a foreign government who ranks between an ambassador and a minister resident

called also envoy extraordinary

b
: a person delegated to represent one government in its dealings with another
2

Examples of envoy in a Sentence

the president sent the secretary of state as his personal envoy to gain the support of the country's allies one of the hostage takers was chosen as the group's envoy for all dealings with the authorities
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Trump’s top envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner agreed to visit Ukraine for the first time. Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 29 July 2026 Argentavis’s earnings remain as opaque as his current salary as special envoy. Adam Robb, Curbed, 27 July 2026 José Singer is former ambassador special envoy of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations Security Council, 2019-20. José Singer, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026 There had been some initial talks between opposition leaders and Rodríguez envoys about a democratic transition, but they were put on hold following the earthquake. John Otis, NPR, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for envoy

Word History

Etymology

French envoyé, from past participle of envoyer to send, from Old French enveier

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of envoy was in 1653

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Envoy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/envoy. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
a
: a diplomatic representative who ranks between an ambassador and a minister
b
: a representative sent by one government to another
ambassadors and other envoys
2

More from Merriam-Webster on envoy

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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