mandarin

noun

ˈman-d(ə-)rən How to pronounce mandarin (audio)
Definition of mandarinnext
as in official
a worker in a government agency the officious mandarins in the motor vehicles department refused to let me renew my license without all of the required forms

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 mandarin On the sweet side, ube, chamoy, matcha tea and mandarin were all top-20 flavors. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, black currants and a bit of tart fruitiness with mandarin for a squeeze of citrus. — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 4 Aug. 2026 The final product was a combination of tangerine, mandarin and vanilla notes. — Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026 His 2023 Chardonnay has ethereal aromas of mandarin, lime zest, and Anjou pear. — Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mandarin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mandarin
  1. official
  2. bureaucrat
  3. clerk
  4. worker
  5. employee
  6. functionary
  7. civil servant
Noun
  • Fire officials said the fire appeared to be cooking-related, and investigators are still determining what caused it.
    — Jose Fabian, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The league will take its time to connect with stakeholders, including players, team officials and Players Association leadership.
    — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of official
Noun
  • This entails handing out thousands of patronage jobs to rabbis, bureaucrats, undertakers, and inspectors.
    — Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026
  • No matter which, many families suffered much too much to let a lifelong federal bureaucrat take the Fifth Amendment 111 times.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of bureaucrat
Noun
  • But the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned the murder convictions this May and ordered a retrial, saying Colleton County’s then-clerk tainted the first trial with what the defense said was prejudicial comments to the jury.
    — Devon M. Sayers, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • After the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned Murdaugh’s conviction for murdering his wife and son earlier this year -- citing jury tampering by the court clerk in the case -- Judge Debra McCaslin scheduled his retrial for April 5, 2027.
    — Janice McDonald, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of clerk
Noun
  • The settlement will be paid by Hyundai Mobis, Kia and local staffing and recruitment agencies that helped find and bring the immigrant workers to Georgia on temporary visas.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • And in Pereira, a CNN team on the ground saw rescue workers and volunteers form a human chain to remove debris and help save those trapped from an apartment building.
    — Rocio Munoz, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of worker
Noun
  • Instead, the Secretary of State's office sent four employees and the Attorney General's Office sent three attorneys to court.
    — Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • But that line of reasoning did not resonate with the Service Employees International Union, which represents about 6,000 Sharp employees, 81 of whom received layoff notices Tuesday.
    — Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of employee
Noun
  • In Meyer’s hands, the adventuress sometimes recedes into a functionary.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Pernkopf was a Nazi functionary who became dean of the medical faculty in 1938 and rector of the university in 1943.
    — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of functionary
Noun
  • Other governments, including the US, have their own rules and disclosure requirements, but beyond the breadth of the controls in China, the sheer number of people affected is striking – and reaches far beyond civil servants.
    — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • According to the Partnership for Public Service, more than 200,000 civil servants left the federal workforce in 2025 through voluntary and involuntary separations aimed at reducing head count.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of civil servant

Browse Nearby Words

man-at-arms
mandarin
mandarins
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Cite this Entry

“Mandarin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mandarin. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on mandarin

Nglish: Translation of mandarin for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mandarin

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