apparatchik

noun

Definition of apparatchiknext
as in minion
disapproving a very loyal member of an organization (such as a company or political party) who always obeys orders party apparatchiks

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 apparatchik The group ventriloquized the voices of authority—parents, school principals, cops, military officers, judges, politicians, newscasters, Soviet apparatchiks—and turned them into expressions of mass insanity. — Andrew Katzenstein, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026 Regardless, the new corporate owners of the network, embodied by the late, great Robert Duvall‘s C-suite apparatchik, get on board. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2026 This agitprop is vomited out 24/7 by Democrat media apparatchiks who were also unerringly described by Orwell in his novel 1984. — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 11 Oct. 2025 Modi began his career as an RSS apparatchik before being sent by the organization to work for the BJP. — Hartosh Singh Bal, Foreign Affairs, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for apparatchik
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apparatchik
  1. minion
  2. soldier
  3. adherent
  4. lackey
Noun
  • Just as Wolverine is surrounded, he’s saved by Mystique, who’s shape-shifted herself into one of Trask’s minions.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • One of Danhausen’s minions took out Mysterio with a flipping dive on the outside.
    — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of minion
Noun
  • Just a few years earlier, in 2005, the service had missed essentially the same recruiting target by 6,600 soldiers.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Two soldiers were killed, one of them his friend, Staff Sergeant Anthony Lagman.
    — Anderson Cooper, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of soldier
Noun
  • In the warmer months, old money adherents lean toward milky white polishes and pink pearl nails.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Internationally, the number of Druids is unclear but estimates suggest that the number is in the tens of thousands, with adherents concentrated principally in Europe and North America.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of adherent
Noun
  • The sculpture included Teddy mounted on a striding horse with two lackeys walking on either side.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 10 July 2026
  • The problem is, Reigns still acts like a heel while Jey Uso, despite winning the Royal Rumble and becoming world champion, is back to being his lackey.
    — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026
Definition of lackey

Browse Nearby Words

appanages
apparatchik
apparatchiks
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Apparatchik.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apparatchik. Accessed 22 Aug. 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 august

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'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

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

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
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All