ambassadors, the: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, official, political, diplomatic, corporate.
Quick answer
What does “ambassadors, the” mean?
Officially appointed diplomats of the highest rank who represent their government in a foreign country.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Officially appointed diplomats of the highest rank who represent their government in a foreign country.
Representatives, promoters, or symbols of a particular quality, activity, or organization.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. The term 'Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary' is the formal title in both. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
In the UK, there is a stronger historical association with the monarchy and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO). In the US, the role is more explicitly tied to the State Department and Presidential appointment.
Frequency
Equally frequent in political/diplomatic contexts. The metaphorical use (e.g., 'student ambassadors') is slightly more common in American corporate and academic marketing.
Grammar
How to Use “ambassadors, the” in a Sentence
ambassadors FROM [country] TO [country]ambassadors FOR [organization/cause]ambassadors OF [quality, e.g., peace]ambassadors MEET/WORK/CONSULTVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “ambassadors, the” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The charity hopes to ambassador their cause through celebrity advocates.
- (Note: This verb use is very rare and non-standard. The standard phrasing is 'to serve as an ambassador for').
American English
- The program is designed to ambassador the values of the university.
- (Note: Same as UK – highly marked and jargonistic, not standard).
adverb
British English
- He spoke ambassadorially, carefully avoiding offence.
- (Extremely rare)
American English
- She represented the company ambassadorially at the global forum.
- (Extremely rare)
adjective
British English
- The ambassador-level talks were held in private.
- She has an ambassadorial style in her dealings.
American English
- The ambassador team from the tech giant toured the campus.
- His ambassadorial duties kept him abroad.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to 'brand ambassadors' or 'corporate ambassadors' – individuals hired to promote a company's image and products.
Academic
Used in political science, international relations, and history to discuss diplomatic roles, soft power, and state representation.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation unless discussing news about international relations or celebrity brand endorsements.
Technical
In diplomacy, specifies the head of a diplomatic mission. In IT/networking, sometimes used metaphorically for devices or software that represent a network.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “ambassadors, the”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “ambassadors, the”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “ambassadors, the”
- Using a singular verb with the plural 'ambassadors' (e.g., 'The ambassadors is meeting' is incorrect).
- Confusing 'ambassador' with 'consul' (who handles citizen services, not high-level diplomacy).
- Misspelling as 'embassadors'.
- Using in overly informal contexts where 'representatives' would be more appropriate.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While the primary and most formal use is for national diplomats, it is widely used metaphorically for representatives of organizations, brands, or causes (e.g., 'UN goodwill ambassadors,' 'brand ambassadors').
An ambassador is the highest-ranking diplomatic representative of a country in another capital, focused on political relations. A consul works in consulates (often in major cities) and primarily assists citizens with visas, passports, and legal issues abroad.
'The' specifies a particular, known individual or group. We say 'the ambassadors' when referring to a specific, defined group (e.g., 'the ambassadors from the EU'). We can use 'ambassadors' without 'the' when speaking generically (e.g., 'Ambassadors often have diplomatic immunity').
Standard dictionaries do not list 'ambassador' as a verb. Using it as a verb (e.g., 'to ambassador a product') is considered corporate jargon or a non-standard innovation. The standard phrasing is 'to serve as an ambassador for' or 'to represent.'
Officially appointed diplomats of the highest rank who represent their government in a foreign country.
Ambassadors, the is usually formal, official, political, diplomatic, corporate. in register.
Ambassadors, the: in British English it is pronounced /æmˈbæs.ə.dəz/, and in American English it is pronounced /æmˈbæs.ə.dɚz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “ambassadors of goodwill”
- “diplomatic corps (refers to the collective body of ambassadors)”
- “shoot the ambassador (historical; to blame the messenger)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of AMBASsadors as the official BASes or representatives a country sets up in another land.
Conceptual Metaphor
REPRESENTATIVES ARE MESSENGERS / AN ORGANIZATION IS A STATE (e.g., 'She is an ambassador for the charity' maps the structure of diplomatic representation onto corporate/charity roles).
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following contexts is the term 'ambassadors' used metaphorically?