official 1 of 2

noun

ə-ˈfi-shəl How to pronounce official (audio)
Definition of officialnext
as in officer
a person who holds a public office some of our best public officials do their jobs quietly and are never in the news

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official

2 of 2

adjective

as in authorized
ordered or allowed by those in authority the official languages for those Olympic Games were French and English

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 official
Noun
The manufacturers of the Patriot missile systems have sent officials to Kyiv to discuss the idea, but results remain elusive. — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026 The event unfolded against the backdrop of scorching summer temperatures and wildfires, and Spanish officials rolled out a large public safety campaign. — Suman Naishadham, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
Adjective
On Tuesday, August 11, the couple secretly made things official by heading to the Santa Barbara courthouse for their civil ceremony. — Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 18 Aug. 2026 Oldenburg on Monday dropped its official trailer for its 33rd edition. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for official
Recent Examples of Synonyms for official
  1. officer
  2. authorized
Noun
  • Occupations Sabio is a Navy veteran and former Secret Service and CIA officer.
    — Amy DeLaura, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Players command Hawks, a former Republic officer, leading a customizable squad of diverse archetypes, including Jedi and scoundrels.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of officer
Adjective
  • The system also limits manufacturing access to authorized users.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Unfortunately, an authorized payment can be difficult to reverse.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of authorized

Browse Nearby Words

offices
official
officials
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Cite this Entry

“Official.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/official. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on official

Nglish: Translation of official for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about official

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