of or relating to an office or position of duty, trust, or authority.
official powers.
authorized or issued authoritatively.
an official report.
holding office.
appointed or authorized to act in a designated capacity.
an official representative.
(of an activity or event) intended for the notice of the public and performed or held on behalf of officials or of an organization; formal.
the official opening of a store.
Pharmacology. noting drugs or drug preparations that are recognized by and that conform to the standards of the United States Pharmacopeia or the National Formulary.
of or relating to an office, its administration, or its duration
sanctioned by, recognized by, or derived from authority
an official statement
appointed by authority, esp for some special duty
having a formal ceremonial character
an official dinner
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Late Latin officiālis “of duty,” equivalent to Latin offici(um) “service, duty” + -ālis adjective suffix; see origin at office, -al 1
Official is the real deal. If you want the latest news from Graceland, check the official Elvis Presley website. But you’ll have to look elsewhere to find the unofficial, unapproved, and highly unlikely scoop on Elvis sightings. If something is official, it's authorized and approved by somebody. If Gatorade is the official drink of the Olympics, somebody with authority has signed some papers and a deal has been made. When you're playing soccer or other sports, the official is the person who makes the calls; he referees (or officiates) the game.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Gross domestic product, the official report card of the economy, grew at a seemingly soft 1.5% annual rate in the second quarter that runs from April to June, the government said Thursday.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
The former top health official was one of the most trusted members of the US government during its response to the pandemic as scientists were trying to learn about the virus as quickly as possible.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
“The principles are intended to provide a unified roadmap for the consideration of official chart compilers, industry bodies and affiliated stakeholders worldwide,” wrote the coalition.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
It was no longer, he said, a race just between El-Sayed, a public health official who has never held elected office, and Rep. Haley Stevens, a moderate four-term congresswoman.
From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2026
Grandma Natalie introduces me to one boring official after another.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
Becca Monahan and Chris Austin, interim co-managing directors of the Official Charts, congratulated Oasis on the album's achievements in a joint statement.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Official data Tuesday showed UK government borrowing dropped more than expected in June, handing a boost to new finance minister John Healey, who has replaced Rachel Reeves.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Official data shows that parents of nearly a third of children eligible for child benefit do not make a claim before their baby's first birthday.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
Official statistics are lacking, but media in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have reported an increasing number of victims.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
She pulled the cookies out and took them over to the sink for an Official G Inspection.
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
The drone hit the floating storage tanker Energos Winter, causing a fire that spread to another vessel, the Gaslog Salem LNG tanker, Egyptian officials familiar with the matter said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
Lourdes Ramirez-Ortiz said district officials will be knocking on doors to ask how they can help make families feel safer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
The man is thought to have been in his thirties or forties, officials added.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Polish officials said it was most likely a Kh-101 cruise missile, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk calling the violation of Polish airspace a “serious incident.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
About a month later, in July 1992, Kubat, Zita, and two officials of Jugoskandic Bank were in Los Angeles to talk to Bobby about a possible “revenge” match between Fischer and Spassky.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
