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View synonyms for

secretary of state

or Secretary of State

noun

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

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

  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.
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Word History and Origins

Origin of secretary of state1

First recorded in 1610–20
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The US secretary of state said he would reschedule his trip to the UK in the coming months, posting on X: "I look forward to following up after the ongoing discussions."

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The secretary of state also heads the Roman Curia, the Church's central administration.

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The US secretary of state will then hold talks with Lammy along with French and German counterparts.

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Judge Jamee Comans of the LaSalle Immigration Court in Louisiana said she lacked the authority to overrule a secretary of state.

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"I would appeal to the secretary of state to do the right thing."

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