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Showing results for secretary of state. Search instead for Decree of fate.
Synonyms

secretary of state

American  
Or Secretary of State

noun

  1. the head and chief administrator of the U.S. Department of State.

  2. British. any of several ministers in the British government.

    A new secretary of state for the Home Department has been appointed.

  3. (in the U.S.) the appointed or elected official in a state government whose chief function is to distribute statutes, administer elections, keep archives, etc.

secretary of state British  

noun

  1. (in Britain) the head of any of several government departments

  2. (in the US) the head of the government department in charge of foreign affairs ( State Department )

  3. (in certain US states) an official with various duties, such as keeping records

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
secretary of state Cultural  

  1. The head of the United States Department of State and, as leading member of the cabinet, fourth in line of succession to the presidency. The secretary of state is charged with formulating American foreign policy and conducting relations with other nations.

Etymology

Origin of secretary of state

First recorded in 1610–20

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In a packed White House briefing room, journalists shouted over each other in a bid to get a question from the US secretary of state.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

He built his secretary of state campaign around election oversight and transparency, arguing that the state should take additional steps to ensure voters have confidence in the system.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

After Biden beat Trump in 2020, she returned to the State Department—this time as the country’s first Senate-confirmed female deputy secretary of state.

From Slate • May 1, 2026

Bush, and Henry Kissinger, the former secretary of state who helped open the U.S.-China relations in 1972.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

Truman’s secretary of state, James Byrnes, replied that neither goal was realistic.

From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin

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.