officer

noun

ˈä-fə-sər How to pronounce officer (audio)
Definition of officernext
1
as in policeman
a member of a force charged with law enforcement at the local level if you are ever lost, find the nearest officer and ask for help

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in official
a person who holds a public office an officer of the court

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 officer Flowers eventually fired at the officer from inside the Impala during the pursuit. — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 Gilder resisted officers during a traffic stop and swallowed several items as he was taken into custody, according to the affidavit. — Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026 When officers arrived at the family’s home on Ashbrook Drive, Mary Alice Love was outside on a rear patio and armed with two knives. — Russell Lissau, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 The most surprising sack was chief content officer Bela Bajaria, who had been with the streaming giant since 2016. — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for officer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for officer
  1. policeman
  2. official
  3. cop
  4. administrator
  5. constable
Noun
  • Onlookers and policemen rushed to the balloon’s basket to find the three men lying crumpled on the ground.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Hanuman inspires him to avenge the rape of his mother by a corrupt policeman working for a deceitful Hindu nationalist spiritual leader.
    — Sohini Sarah Pillai, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of policeman
Noun
  • There are so many organizations working to protect the voting process -- including many that cannot legally coordinate with each other -- that some officials involved worry about unintentionally creating chaos outside polling locations.
    — STEVE PEOPLES, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Although officials have not released details about the cause of death, scientists agree that if it was caused by ordinary plague, the wider world has little to worry about.
    — Faye Flam, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of official
Noun
  • And a rookie cop confronts an otherworldly threat in a remote Korean village.
    — Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
  • After becoming friends with director Hal Ashby, Skerrit appeared in Harold and Maude (1971) as a motorcycle cop.
    — Chris Koseluk, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of cop
Noun
  • The company also has strict policies against bullying through Google Classroom and Google for Education products, as well as offering tools for students to report instances of cruelty to administrators, according to Google.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Bettini and her research partners also found that supportive administrators and adequate planning time can help make the work feel more sustainable for teachers.
    — Jonaki Mehta, NPR, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of administrator
Noun
  • Jenna Ziviani, a constable at the police station, helped deliver Lyla while receiving guidance from an ambulance officer on the phone.
    — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Thompson alerted a town administrator and special constable named Sherise Fountain, who went to investigate.
    — Zander Sherman, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of constable

Phrases Containing officer

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officeholders
officer
officers
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Cite this Entry

“Officer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/officer. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on officer

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about officer

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