ambassador-at-large

American  

[am-bas-uh-der-uht-lahrj, -dawr] / æmˈbæs ə dər ətˈlɑrdʒ, -ˌdɔr /

noun

ambassadors-at-large plural

1. an ambassador who is not assigned to a particular diplomatic post but is appointed on a special mission.

---

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• ambassadors-at-large
  plural

Etymology

Origin of ambassador-at-large

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

At the law school at Damascus University, more than 300 students attended a recent seminar addressed by international war crime legal specialists including Stephen Rapp, a former U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues.

From Slate • May 27, 2026

As ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom during the first Trump administration, I traveled to Northern Iraq in 2018 to interview survivors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

Armenia's ambassador-at-large, Edmon Marukyan, criticised the timing of the visit but stressed that it was important that UN officials saw for themselves what ethnic Armenians had been subjected to.

From BBC • Sep. 30, 2023

Russell also heads the White House Office of Presidential Personnel and served as the State Department’s ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues from 2013 to 2017.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 10, 2021

Clemens in his note-book wrote: During 8 years now I have filled the position—with some credit, I trust, of self-appointed ambassador-at-large of the United States of America —without salary.

From Mark Twain, a Biography — Volume II, Part 2: 1886-1900 by Paine, Albert Bigelow