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.
This could include official government early warning systems and disaster interfaces which news organisations can access.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
One Gulf official said the attack on Monday caused minor damage to the kingdom’s Abqaiq oil-processing and stabilization facility, the world’s largest, handling roughly 7 million barrels a day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
In the eastern state of Bihar, a police official was suspended for using an assault rifle to disperse student protesters in Siwan district on Saturday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
GDP, the official scorecard of the U.S. economy, is expected to expand at a 2.1% annual rate for the second quarter in a row.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Not an official one, those happened weeks or months ago, and they happened with loved ones, with family and close friends.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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 figures show that most people using betting platforms come from poor households.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
Official figures show that hiring in US pubs, bars and restaurants ramped up ahead of the tournament in May, but the boom was short-lived.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
Official data released Wednesday showed gross domestic product in the world’s second-largest economy expanded 4.3% from a year ago in the April-June quarter, slowing from 5.0% in the prior quarter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Official players on the floor shine in the dark, their outfits lit up in neon, their names, team affiliation, and level hovering over their heads like golden trophies.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
Ukrainian officials say they urgently need Patriots and other air defence systems to stem wave after wave of Russian drone and missile attacks.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
U.S. officials weighed the effect a major attack could have on the declining stock of air defense interceptors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Many local election officials oppose the idea, she said, because it takes away from time they could be spending processing ballots.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
There is also an amazing collection of letters written primarily by Black parents to Union Army officials, asking for help freeing their children.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
To avoid panic, some state officials insisted cholera wasn’t contagious.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
