functionaries

plural of functionary
1
2
as in bureaucrats
a worker in a government agency the faceless functionaries at the Internal Revenue Service

Synonyms & Similar 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 functionaries Both Washington and Mexico City have launched crackdowns against a complex web of unscrupulous functionaries, front companies and document fraudsters, among others. Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 To the extent that their fellow-citizens refer to them at all, our government functionaries are perceived not as active agents of change but as inert, self-protecting obstructions. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 July 2026 More than funding, though, is needed transparency by IDNR functionaries with marina boaters and Winthrop Harbor officials. Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026 Their prestige suffers because it is conflated in the public’s mind with long lines at the DMV, fastidious building inspectors, parking tickets—the stuff of local functionaries. Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026 Bigelow’s sympathetic eye for her functionaries risks the film being misread as an argument for more robust military funding. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025 Evil is aided and abetted by the banality of institutions and their functionaries. Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025 Since then, there have been many more arrests—especially of regional functionaries at various levels. Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2025 But this newsletter is more focused on how Trump and his fawning functionaries speak about and for him. Chris Brennan, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for functionaries
Noun
  • By comparison, prior to Warsh taking office, officials averaged roughly 23 public appearances during the same two-week period following each Fed policy meeting since 2022.
    , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Bean urged officials to commit in writing that the library system will provide or fund legal representation for employees who may be targeted under Act 372.
    Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The bureaucrats who failed to prevent the fraud often remain anonymous.
    Sreedhar Potarazu, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026
  • America’s goal should be more cures, more treatment options and better care, not fewer innovations dictated by Washington bureaucrats.
    Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • After it was immobilized, the driver attempted to leave the vehicle and was apprehended by officers, according to NEA Report.
    Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Many reviews mention that representatives and loan officers are easy to reach, knowledgeable, helpful and friendly.
    Dan Simms, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In Brazil, Statista gathered 900,000 evaluations from employees across a wide range of sectors.
    Charlotte Hu, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The arbitration added more than $200 million in claim payments to the health insurance plan for state employees and families.
    Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Shillings said the secretary of state's office should provide better tools and training to county clerks to prevent future errors.
    Hayleigh Colombo, IndyStar, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Turnover within the court itself, particularly among judges and clerks, has contributed to case delays and disorganization, said Michael Sharma-Crawford, a local immigration attorney.
    Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • At the same time, many of these tech companies, like Microsoft and IBM, have been providing accessible professional certificate programs to workers across the globe in hopes of closing the skills gap.
    Charlotte Hu, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Chesnot | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images The platform at one point served more than 500,000 workers, also referred to as turkers, according to Amazon.
    Annie Palmer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Sliced, candied jalapeños and mandarins offer pops of sweet, citrusy heat.
    Warren Rojas, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026
  • There are several oranges, mandarins, a lemon and finger lime.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Functionaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/functionaries. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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