sheriff

1 of 2

noun (1)

sher·​iff ˈsher-əf How to pronounce sheriff (audio)
Synonyms of sheriffnext
: an important official of a shire or county charged primarily with judicial duties (such as executing the processes and orders of courts and judges)
sheriffdom
ˈsher-əf-dəm How to pronounce sheriff (audio)
-təm
noun

sheriffdom

2 of 2

noun (2)

sher·​iff·​dom -fdəm How to pronounce sheriffdom (audio)
plural -s
: shrievalty

Examples of sheriff in a Sentence

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.
Noun
The Pulaski County sheriff's office is investigating a shooting that occurred in the College Station neighborhood of Little Rock on Saturday. — Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 24 Aug. 2026 Detectives do not believe the quintuple homicide was random, according to the sheriff’s office. — Joe Kottke, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2026 In 2019, deputies arrived at a Denver-area STEM school while shooting was still going on inside, the local sheriff said at the time. — Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026 The Justice Department also opened a civil rights investigation after Massey’s death and later reached an agreement with Sangamon County, its sheriff’s office and other agencies requiring changes to policing and emergency response. — ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sheriff

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English shirreve, from Old English scīrgerēfa, from scīr shire + gerēfa reeve — more at shire, reeve

Noun (2)

Middle English shirrevedom, sherrevedom, shirefdom, sherefdom, from shirreve, sherreve, shiref, sheref sheriff + -dom

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sheriff was before the 12th century

Rhymes for sheriff

See All Rhymes for sheriff

Browse Nearby Words

sherifa
sheriff
sheriff's court
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sheriff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sheriff. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sheriff

noun
sher·​iff ˈsher-əf How to pronounce sheriff (audio)
: an official of a county who is in charge of enforcing the law
Etymology

Noun

Middle English shirreve "sheriff," from Old English scīrgerēfa "sheriff," from scīr "shire, county" and gerēfa "a government agent"

Legal Definition

sheriff

noun
sher·​iff
: an official of a county or parish charged primarily with judicial duties (as executing the processes and orders of courts and judges)
Etymology

Noun

Old English scīrgerēfa, from scīr shire + gerēfa reeve (king's agent)

More from Merriam-Webster on sheriff

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sheriff

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sheriff

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