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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as in authorized
ordered or allowed by those in authority
the official languages for those Olympic Games were French and English
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Recent Examples of official
Evan A. Feigenbaum, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
But Elon Musk is also a de facto top official in the soon-to-be Trump administration, almost an unofficial deputy president, causing a problem with overseas friends and allies and perhaps foes.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2025
Hikmat Mohammed, WWD, 6 Jan. 2025
Some of the most recognizable official authorities include the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, the Michigan Gaming Control Board and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
—Matthew Gover, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for official 
Noun
But punishing that behavior means bringing the hammer down on Vietnam, hardly a step that would win Washington strategic support in Hanoi, where a new leadership dominated by public security and military officials actually sees eye to eye with China in some areas.
—Evan A. Feigenbaum, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
But Elon Musk is also a de facto top official in the soon-to-be Trump administration, almost an unofficial deputy president, causing a problem with overseas friends and allies and perhaps foes.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
The British royal family turned their attention to collecting works that reflected the moment by acquiring wartime landscapes by Olive Edis, Britain’s first official female war photographer.
—Hikmat Mohammed, WWD, 6 Jan. 2025
Some of the most recognizable official authorities include the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, the Michigan Gaming Control Board and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
—Matthew Gover, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for official
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Cite this Entry
“Official.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/official. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.
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