Representative — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˌre-pri-ˈzen-tə-tiv/ rep·re·sen·ta·tive

Meaning & Definition of Representative

Representative (adjective)

  1. serving to represent
  2. standing or acting for another especially through delegated authority
  3. of, based on, or constituting a government in which the many are represented by persons chosen from among them usually by election

Representative (noun)

  1. someone or something that represents another or others
  2. someone who represents a constituency as a member of a legislative body
  3. a member of the house of representatives of the U.S. Congress or a state legislature

Representative (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person who acts or does business for another

    "a representative from the car dealership called to ask how we were enjoying the new car"

    similar: agent, assignee, attorney, commissary, delegate, deputy, envoy, factor, minister, procurator, proxy, rep
    related: ambassador, diplomat, diplomatist, emissary, foreign minister, legate, plenipotentiary, alternate, backup, pinch hitter, relief, replacement, stand-in, sub, substitute, surrogate, understudy, informer, operative, spy, broker, distributor, manager, arbiter, arbitrator, comprador, conciliator, go-between, intercessor, intermediary, interposer, liaison, mediator, middleman, peacemaker, mouthpiece, point man, point person, prophet, speaker, spokesman, spokesperson

  2. a person sent on a mission to represent another

    "I speak on this matter as a representative of the people of the U.S."

    similar: agent, ambassador, delegate, emissary, envoy, legate, minister
    related: ambassadress, attaché, chargé d'affaires, consul, deputy, diplomat, foreign minister, nuncio, procurator, proxy, apostle, evangelist, missionary, deputation, detachment, legation, courier, messenger, mouthpiece, spokesperson

  3. one of a group or collection that shows what the whole is like

    "this song is a fairly good representative of the other songs on the album"

    similar: case, example, exemplar, exemplification, illustration, instance, prototype, sample, specimen, case in point
    related: archetype, classic, locus classicus, paradigm, cross section, microcosm, evidence, indication, manifestation, sign

Representative (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having or showing the qualities associated with the members of a particular group or kind

    "a representative example of what that talented chef can do with even simple ingredients"

    similar: archetypal, average, characteristic, normal, regular, standard, true, typical
    related: common, commonplace, conventional, customary, everyday, ordinary, usual, wonted, workaday, classic, textbook, vintage, expected, familiar, habitual, predictable, routine, unexceptional, unremarkable, predominant, preponderant
    opposite: aberrant, abnormal, anomalous, atypical, deviant, irregular, nonrepresentative, nontypical, untypical
    near: uncommon, unconventional, uncustomary, unusual, unwonted, distinctive, especial, exceptional, extraordinary, infrequent, noteworthy, rare, remarkable, singular, special, unexpected, unfamiliar, unique, unpredictable, eccentric, idiosyncratic, nonconformist, peculiar, unknown, unorthodox, curious, erratic, funky, funny, odd, oddball, offbeat, outlandish, quirky, screwy, strange, wacky, way-out, bizarre, fantastic, far-out, freak, freakish, kooky, out-of-the-way, outrageous, outré, unnatural, weird, wild

  2. having the function or meaning of an object or figure that stands for something else

    "a red cross on this map is representative of a hospital or other medical facility"

    similar: emblematic, representational, symbolic
    related: figural, figurative, metaphoric, tropological, allegorical
    opposite: nonsymbolic
    near: actual, literal

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Representative

The most common words with a similar meaning to Representative:

agent, assignee, attorney, commissary, delegate, deputy, envoy, factor, minister, procurator, proxy, rep, ambassador, emissary, legate, case, example, exemplar, exemplification, illustration, instance, prototype, sample, specimen, case in point, archetypal, average, characteristic, normal, regular, standard, true, typical, emblematic, representational, symbolic

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Representative

Words with the opposite meaning of Representative:

aberrant, abnormal, anomalous, atypical, deviant, irregular, nonrepresentative, nontypical, untypical, nonsymbolic

Related Words for Representative

diplomat, diplomatist, foreign minister, plenipotentiary, alternate, backup, pinch hitter, relief, replacement, stand-in, sub, substitute, surrogate, understudy, informer, operative, spy, broker, distributor, manager, arbiter, arbitrator, comprador, conciliator, go-between, intercessor, intermediary, interposer, liaison, mediator

Near Antonyms of Representative

uncommon, unconventional, uncustomary, unusual, unwonted, distinctive, especial, exceptional, extraordinary, infrequent, noteworthy, rare, remarkable, singular, special, unexpected, unfamiliar, unique, unpredictable, eccentric, idiosyncratic, nonconformist, peculiar, unknown, unorthodox, curious, erratic, funky, funny, odd

Word Forms of Representative

Inflections: representatives

Derived words: representatively (adverb), representativeness (noun), representativity (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Representative

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Representative

Words & Phrases Containing Representative

representative democracy, personal representative

Frequently Asked Questions about Representative

What does "Representative" mean?

"Representative" means serving to represent. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: serving to represent. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Representative"?

Other words for "Representative" include agent, assignee, attorney, commissary, delegate, deputy, envoy and factor. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Representative" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Representative"?

There are 123 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Representative". Common alternatives include agent, assignee, attorney, commissary, delegate, deputy, envoy, factor, minister and procurator.

What is the opposite of "Representative"?

Antonyms of "Representative" include aberrant, abnormal, anomalous, atypical, deviant, irregular, nonrepresentative and nontypical. Near antonyms include uncommon, unconventional, uncustomary and unusual.

How do you use "Representative" in a sentence?

Examples of "Representative" in a sentence: "a representative from the car dealership called to ask how we were enjoying the new car"; "I speak on this matter as a representative of the people of the U.S."; "this song is a fairly good representative of the other songs on the album".

Is "Representative" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Representative" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Representative" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Representative" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Representative"?

"Representative" is pronounced /ˌre-pri-ˈzen-tə-tiv/ and divided into syllables as rep·re·sen·ta·tive.