1
as in instrumentality
something used to achieve an end
the whitening agent in the detergent is chlorine bleach the Church has been the traditional agent for social justice in impoverished countries
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Relevance
2
as in deputy
a person who acts or does business for another
the sports agent negotiated a record-breaking contract for the baseball player
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3
as in ambassador
a person sent on a mission to represent another
an undercover agent of the Crown
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4
as in spy
a person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country
an agent feeding information about enemy troop movements
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of agent
The Department of Government Efficiency began pushing the IRS to provide taxpayer data to immigration agents soon after President Donald Trump took office.
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William Turton, ProPublica, 30 Dec. 2025
Videos posted by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday showed Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents going door-to-door questioning businesses.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 30 Dec. 2025
Buyers are taking the approach of digging deeper than simply asking sellers and/or listing agents whether assessments have been proposed, discussed or voted upon.
—Michael L. Hyman, Miami Herald, 29 Dec. 2025
Today CFOs are expected to own the numbers, but also act as core strategists, digital leaders, and enterprise change agents.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agent
Noun
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They are left wielding the tools of instrumentality: in-groups and cliques, buying effort through more money, coercive employment agreements and suits against whistleblowers.—
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Holding the weight of cotton’s influence on the world, and thus the instrumentality of Black labor, is painful, yet necessary work.—
Noun
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Minneapolis police and deputies with the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office are still on the scene for crowd control measures, and metal gates have been set up to keep protesters at bay.—
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When a patrol deputy arrived, authorities said the suspect was found nude and swimming in a pond located on the caller’s property.—
Noun
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For instance, a new version of its iconic Nulu fabric — Warm Nulu — hit store shelves this November, striking a chord with the brand’s local ambassadors.—
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The ambassador stabbed Berry during the struggle, the Sheriff’s Office said.—
Noun
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On Monday, Iranian state media said a man was arrested in Tehran on suspicion of collaborating with the Israeli spy agency Mossad.—
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The story of Quichotte’s quest is being written, in alternating chapters, by Sam DuChamp, a mid-list spy novelist making his first foray into literary fiction.—
Noun
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Running out of battery mid-flight means missing entertainment and the chance to use apps that help manage nervousness or track turbulence.—
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Manufacturers would also have to provide a means for first responders to access the car from outside when electric power is lost.—
Noun
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The pork is marinated for 12 to 24 hours in a special blend of Mexican spices mixed with orange juice, according to a restaurant representative, and cooked for five to six hours.—
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Her representatives quickly shut down the claims.—
Noun
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This talk is presented as both a Tiger Talk and as part of the IFFR Pro Dialogues program of industry panels for industry and press delegates at the festival.—
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China sent close to 800 delegates.—
Noun
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Cuban operatives played a central role in shaping how the regime monitored dissent and protected senior leadership, embedding themselves inside Venezuela’s intelligence services.—
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Alexis Rodríguez Cabello A Venezuelan politician and longtime Chavista operative best known for his family and political ties to Diosdado Cabello, Alexis Rodríguez Cabello is currently head of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service.—
Cite this Entry
“Agent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agent. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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