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.
Staff in the Office of Strategic Capital learned of the White House request to give a loan to Vulcan around September or October, an official involved said.
From Salon • May 31, 2026
Days before plundering Borel’s wine cellar, the two are believed to have sauntered into Huso, a Michelin-starred Tribeca restaurant that has been celebrated for its collection of bottles, according to a law-enforcement official.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
The community's leader Nicoletta Uzzielli had urged local official to replace the show with a performance that would bring "music back to the forefront as a universally unifying force".
From BBC • May 30, 2026
In 2004, the city and Los Angeles Marathon, Inc. — Burke’s company — butted heads after he moved to trademark the marathon’s official logo.
From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026
This is my first official pitch, and I have no words.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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.
