official
B2Formal to neutral.
Definition
Meaning
relating to an authority, public body, or government; approved or authorized.
Relating to a person or organization holding a position of authority. Also, something formally or publicly confirmed. In sports, a person who administers the rules (e.g., referee).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies legitimacy, authority, and a recognized status. Can contrast with 'unofficial' (informal, private). As a noun, typically refers to a person in authority.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. Minor differences in collocation frequency (e.g., 'official secrets' is a established UK legal term). The noun form for a sports referee is more common in American English.
Connotations
Similar in both: authority, bureaucracy, formality.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English corpus data, likely due to common use in government and sports contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
official + of + organization (an official of the bank)official + for + area/issue (the official for planning)official + in + department (an official in the ministry)it + is + official + that-clause (It is official that he will resign.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “make it official (to formally declare something)”
- “the official word (the definitive, authorized statement)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to authorized documents, statements, or representatives of a company.
Academic
Used for published, authoritative sources or institutional roles.
Everyday
Common for government services, rules, and confirmed news.
Technical
In sports, refers to referees/umpires. In computing, 'official release'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- No common verb form.
American English
- No common verb form.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form. Use 'officially'.
- They haven't officially announced it yet.
American English
- No standard adverbial form. Use 'officially'.
- The policy is now officially in effect.
adjective
British English
- The official enquiry will begin next week.
- Is this the official spelling?
American English
- The official report is due tomorrow.
- You can get the form from the official website.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- English is the official language here.
- The official letter arrived yesterday.
- She is a government official.
- The official results will be published on Friday.
- In his official capacity, he cannot comment on the investigation.
- The two leaders made an official visit to the disaster area.
- Despite official denials, rumours of a cabinet reshuffle persist.
- The arbiters' decision is final and official.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an OFFICE. An OFFICIAL person or document comes from a place of authority like an office.
Conceptual Metaphor
AUTHORITY IS HEIGHT / FORMALITY IS RIGIDITY (e.g., 'high official', 'official procedure').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'official' as 'официальный' when it means 'employee' or 'officer' (e.g., 'a bank official' is 'сотрудник банка', 'должностное лицо').
- Do not confuse with 'officer' (often 'офицер' in military contexts).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'official' as a synonym for 'employee' in all contexts (e.g., 'shop official' sounds odd; use 'shop assistant').
- Incorrect: 'He got the official news unofficially.' (Contradictory; better: 'He got the news through unofficial channels.')
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'official' used as a noun referring to a person?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Official' is a broader term for someone in a position of authority, often in government or an organization. 'Officer' often implies a specific rank or duty, especially in the military, police, or certain organizations (e.g., 'chief executive officer').
Not directly. It means 'authorized' or 'formal'. An 'official explanation' is the one given by authorities, which may or may not be the complete truth.
Yes, 'officially' is the standard adverb. There is no widespread use of 'official' as an adverb.
The most direct opposite is 'unofficial'. Others include 'informal', 'private', or 'unauthorized', depending on context.