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government man

government man

1 4.4
A person who works for the state in an official job
  • noun
  • /ˈɡʌvərnmənt mæn/
translation icon : funcionario
  • Before I go to bed, I'll call the government man and ask him to come out and take a look at her.

Examples

Synonyms

politician
vsgovernment man
2.9

A person who works in government or politics, often as an elected leader

is broader, covering non-political government employees and representatives
representative
vsgovernment man
624 3.5

A person who speaks or acts for other people in an official way

is specifically about employment or formal state representation
commissioner
vsgovernment man
  • Formal
572 5.1

A person who manages a government department or public service

is a broader term that includes many official roles without leadership
minister
vsgovernment man
  • Formal
348 4.2

A diplomat who represents one country to another and ranks below an ambassador

is a wider government representative, not limited to diplomacy
bureaucrat
vsgovernment man
141 5.6

A person who works in a government office and often cares more about rules than people

is broader, not limited to procedural or bureaucratic roles
government official
vsgovernment man
118 3.2

A person elected or appointed to carry out government work

is a general term for any employed government representative
elected official
vsgovernment man
109 3.0

A person who holds public office after winning an election

is wider and includes appointed or employed government representatives
councilman
vsgovernment man
  • US
105 4.7

A man who is on a town or city council

is the general government employee or representative beyond local council roles
federal agent
vsgovernment man
104 3.5

A person who works for the country's government to enforce laws and investigate crimes

is the general government representative, not limited to law duties
public servant
vsgovernment man
43 3.0

A person who works for the government, elected or appointed

is broader, including any government representative in duties
undersecretary
vsgovernment man
  • Formal
39 6.8

A senior official who helps the head of a government department make decisions

is wider and includes other kinds of government employment
civil servant
vsgovernment man
35 2.7

A person who works for a government department in a long-term job and is not elected

covers both permanent staff and other official representatives
federal official
vsgovernment man
  • US
32 3.7

A government worker who makes sure people follow national laws, often in the United States

is broader and includes non-law enforcement government representatives
lawman
vsgovernment man
  • US
28 6.5

A man who works to enforce the law, like a sheriff or police officer

is the wider phrase for any person employed by the government
government agent
vsgovernment man
16 3.7

A person who works for the government and acts for it

is a wider label for anyone employed or representing the state
tax collector
vsgovernment man
13 3.6

A person who takes money from people to pay taxes to the government

is the wider term for anyone employed or representing the government
functionary
vsgovernment man
8 7.7

A person who has an official job in a government or large organization

is a general person used by the government for duties
officeholder
vsgovernment man
  • Formal
8 4.4

A person who has an official job with power and responsibility in a government or organization

is the general term for any government-employed or acting representative
government minister
vsgovernment man
  • UK
5 3.7

A person in the government who leads a department and makes rules about it

is broader, including lower-level and non-leadership government roles
taxman
vsgovernment man
4 3.1

A government worker who collects taxes from people and businesses

is broader and covers many government jobs beyond tax work
termer
vsgovernment man
4 9.9

A person who holds a public office for a fixed time, for example in government

is broader, covering ongoing employment or representation without fixed term
official emissary
vsgovernment man
  • Formal
7.2

A person who a government or organization sends to speak for it at official meetings

is the general employed representative, not only sent envoys
diplomatic minister
vsgovernment man
  • Specialized
6.5

A government official who represents their country in another country and ranks below an ambassador

is general and applies to many official government roles
embassador
vsgovernment man
  • Archaic
9.9

An old word for a senior official who a country sends to represent it in another country

is broader, covering any employed or acting government representative
mandatary
vsgovernment man
  • Formal
9.9

A person or group allowed to act for someone else in legal matters

is the general government representative, not only legally mandated agents
placeman
vsgovernment man
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who gets a job because of connections rather than skill

is broader, covering all legitimate government employment or representation
noncareer
vsgovernment man
  • Formal
8.2

A temporary government official who is not a permanent staff member

is the general term including both career and temporary government workers

Antonyms

A person who does not hold a government job or public office

Surface Forms

government man singular

Morphology

government + man

The meaning 'a person employed by or representing the government' is directly and transparently composed from 'government' (state authority) + 'man' (person). The agentive pattern 'X man' (a person associated with X) is common and cross-linguistically familiar, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Government man began as a simple picture of a government man — someone sent by the government to do official work in a town or office. Because these men enforced rules or supervised projects for the authorities, the phrase came to mean 'a person employed by the government or acting as its representative'.