The press besieged the minister with questions.
Source: tatoeba (20189)
Minister
/ˈmɪn.əˌstɚ/
Synonyms for "minister" (177 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (36)
abbeaccommodateadminister the eucharistagentaidaldermanambassadorambassadressanointapostolic delegatearchonassistattachebailieburghermasterburgomastercabinet membercabinet ministercare forcareer diplomat
Verb(1 words)
Strong matches (53)
city councilmancity fathercity managerclergymanclergywomanclericclericalclerkcommercial attachecommissarcommissarycommissionairecommissionerconfirmconsulconsul generalconsular agentcouncillorcouncilmancouncilwoman
Show 24 more words
county commissionercounty supervisorcuratecuredddeandelegatedeputydiplomatdiplomaticdiplomatic agentdiplomatistdivinedo dutydoctor of divinityecclesiasticelderemissaryenvoyenvoy extraordinaryevangelistfatherforeign service officerheadman
Verb(1 words)
Related words (88)
helpheraldholy joeimposeindunainternunciolay hands onlegatelegislatorlook afterlord mayormagistratemaireman of godmayormessengermilitary attachemilitary chaplainminister of stateminister plenipotentiary
Show 46 more words
minister residentminister tomissionarynuncioofficiatepadreparsonpastorperform a riteperform serviceplenipotentiarypoliticianportreevepreachpreacherpriestrectorreeveresidentreverendsecretarysecretary of legationsecretary of statesee toselectmansermonizerservant of godserveshepherdsky divesky pilotsupervisorsupplysupply clergysupply ministersupportsyndicthe reverendthe very reverendtonsured clericundersecretaryvicarvice-consulvice-legatewait onwarden
Noun(19 words)
Verb(1 words)
Adjective(2 words)
presidential cabinet memberssenior government official
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: pastor, abbe, accommodate, administer the eucharist, agent.
- Sentence evidence is available for minister, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "minister".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "minister"
Keep "minister" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "minister" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "minister", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "minister" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
18 entriesShowing 16 of 18 words.
More specific
14 entriesaidaideassistanceattendantcaregivingdefense ministereducation ministerfinance ministerforeign ministernursepastorrectorsermon deliveryvicar
Collocations
12 entriesaid recipientsassistancecabinet ministercaregivingfinance ministerforeign ministerministry headpatientsreligious ministersenior ministerthe sickthose in need
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesTranslations
5 translations across 5 languages.
Afrikaans
1 entries- dienaar noun (someone who serves others)
Dutch
1 entries- dienaar noun (someone who serves others)
Finnish
1 entries- palvelija noun (someone who serves others)
Gothic
1 entries- 𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌱𐌰𐌷𐍄𐍃 noun (someone who serves others)
Russian
1 entries- исполни́тель noun (someone who serves others)
Sample sentences
18 total sentences available.
The foreign minister attended the talks.
Source: tatoeba (21843)
The Foreign Minister said that war was inevitable.
Source: tatoeba (21848)
If I were prime minister, I'd give Clinton a good talking to.
Source: tatoeba (25549)
Showing 4 of 18 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "minister"?
Closest matches include pastor, abbe, accommodate, administer the eucharist, agent.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "minister"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.