undersecretary

noun

un·​der·​sec·​re·​tary ˌən-dər-ˈse-krə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce undersecretary (audio)
-ˈse-kə-
variants or under secretary
: a secretary immediately subordinate to a principal secretary
—often capitalized when used as a title
the British Undersecretary for India
the Under Secretary of the Treasury

Examples of undersecretary 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.
And Erin Browne, treasury undersecretary for international affairs, said Monday the delegation was invited because Russia is a member of the G20. — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026 Derek Kan served as the deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget in 2020 and undersecretary of transportation from 2017-19. — Derek Kan, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2026 Fayed al-Noman, the information ministry's assistant undersecretary, said the attack severely damaged port buildings and piers as well as commercial goods and food supplies. — Duarte Dias, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 Fayed al-Noman, the information ministry’s assistant undersecretary, said the rebels fired missiles and drones, severely damaging port buildings and piers as well as commercial goods and food supplies. — Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for undersecretary

Word History

First Known Use

1687, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of undersecretary was in 1687

Rhymes for undersecretary

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Browse Nearby Words

undersecretariat
undersecretary
undersecretaryship
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Cite this Entry

“Undersecretary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undersecretary. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

undersecretary

noun
un·​der·​sec·​re·​tary ˌən-dər-ˈsek-rə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce undersecretary (audio)
: a secretary right under a principal secretary
undersecretary of state
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