Skip to main content
government official

government official

118 3.2
A person elected or appointed to carry out government work
  • noun
  • /ˈɡʌvərnmənt əˈfɪʃəl/
translation icon : funcionario del gobierno
  • After the election, many new government officials took their oaths of office in a ceremony.
  • U.S. government officials
  • senior government officials
  • top government officials

Also, you know, it's still government officials that are running these financing programs.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Kabul must now supply reliable funding to help these new government officials provide services to the people.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The board would be composed of consumer advocates, government officials, and representatives of industry and environmental organizations.

    Academic text (1991)
  • For most Americans, increasing employment should be the primary responsibility of all government officials.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The next day, government officials came down and tested the soil.

  • I think we need to hold our government officials accountable to following the best guidance possible in making their decisions.

  • Such cars were mostly used by government officials and driven by chauffeurs.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Government officials have issued a Colony-wide state of emergency.

  • Our foreign ministers work very effectively together; other government officials have actively participated in this process.

    Academic text (1990)
  • At 10:30 hours Wednesday, a group of government officials began a tour of the Livermore Defense Lab.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Others, among them government officials and British Army officers, have already left the city for the races at Fairyhouse in County Meath.

Synonyms

governor
vsgovernment official
3.0

An elected official who leads a state government

is a general chosen role that includes local and wider government positions
official
vsgovernment official
3.7

A person who works for a government or organization and has power to make and enforce rules

is chosen to carry out government policies rather than any organizational duty
mayor
vsgovernment official
1.7

An elected leader who runs a city or town government

is a chosen role that runs public policies across various duties
politician
vsgovernment official
2.9

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

is the category of chosen people who administer government policies and functions
officer
vsgovernment official
2.1

A person chosen to hold a responsible position in a company, club, or government

is specifically assigned to implement governmental policies and functions
minister
vsgovernment official
  • UK
862 3.0

A senior government official who leads a department

is wider, including many chosen roles beyond leading single departments
commissioner
vsgovernment official
  • Formal
572 5.1

A person who manages a government department or public service

is the broader category of persons chosen to run government work
secretary
vsgovernment official
  • UK
411 4.1

A senior government official who leads a major department

covers such leaders but also those chosen for other government functions
administrator
vsgovernment official
232 3.7

A person who manages and runs an organization like a business or government agency

is the selected public role focused on implementing government policy
bureaucrat
vsgovernment official
141 5.6

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

includes that administrative role but emphasizes policy administration and choice
executive
vsgovernment official
103 4.5

A senior person who manages a government department

is the general chosen government role that includes senior managers
public servant
vsgovernment official
43 3.0

A person who works for the government, elected or appointed

focuses on running policies and functions rather than general employment
undersecretary
vsgovernment official
  • Formal
39 6.8

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

is the senior chosen role responsible for overall policy administration
alderman
vsgovernment official
  • Formal
35 7.7

A member of a city council elected to represent a local area

is wider, including both elected administrators and appointed policymakers
government agent
vsgovernment official
16 3.7

A person who works for the government and acts for it

is a general role chosen to administer policies across functions
prefect
vsgovernment official
  • Formal
15 8.0

A senior official in government or the police who leads a region

is more general, covering many chosen roles beyond that senior rank
city manager
vsgovernment official
  • Specialized
10 3.5

A person appointed, not elected, to run a city's daily government work

is broader, covering anyone chosen to run government policies or functions
functionary
vsgovernment official
8 7.7

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

is broader, covering elected or appointed administrators across government
officeholder
vsgovernment official
  • Formal
8 4.4

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

is specifically chosen to administer policies and government functions
government minister
vsgovernment official
  • UK
5 3.7

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

is the general category that includes such high appointed administrators
governor general
vsgovernment official
  • Australian
1 6.5

A person who represents the country's king or queen and does official jobs like signing laws

is a broader chosen role not limited to ceremonial duties
government man
vsgovernment official
1 4.4

A person who works for the state in an official job

stresses being selected to run policies and governmental functions
civil officer
vsgovernment official
1 4.4

A person who holds an official government job that is not military

is a chosen role that runs public policies and administrative functions
administrative official
vsgovernment official
1 4.4

A person who manages office work and makes official decisions in a government or large organization

is about holding chosen power to run policies, not only administration
office-bearer
vsgovernment official
  • UK
1 6.7

A person who has an official position in a club or organization

is specifically about being chosen to administer government policies
diplomatic minister
vsgovernment official
  • Specialized
6.5

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

is a broader chosen public post not limited to foreign representation

How Senior

head of state
  • Formal
49 3.5
minister
  • UK
862 3.0
government official
118 3.2

Surface Forms

Morphology

government + official

The meaning is directly compositional: 'government' (the state or its administration) combined with 'official' (a person who holds authority) yields a person who holds a position in the government. This is a common, cross-linguistic noun–noun configuration and a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Government official comes from the idea of government as the group that runs a country and official as someone who holds an 'office' or 'job' to do important work. So, a government official is literally a person given a job to carry out the government's rules and duties.