spokesperson

spokesperson — noun

1. someone whose job it is to deliver official statements and answer questions from

1.nounC1
Definition

someone whose job it is to deliver official statements and answer questions from the public or reporters on behalf of a government, company, or other organized group

Example

The company spokesperson, Ms. Adina Chen, said the merger was still under review.

collocation: company spokesperson

Lakan needed to contact the team's spokesperson before the press conference started.

spokesperson as object of 'contact'

Common collocations
  • company spokesperson
  • government spokesperson
  • official spokesperson
  • campaign spokesperson
  • spokesperson for
Synonyms
  • representative

    broader term — a representative may speak, vote, or act on behalf of others in many settings, not only as a designated speaker

  • press secretary

    narrower and more official — specifically for political or government communications with the news media

  • mouthpiece

    informal and often negative — suggests the person merely repeats orders without independent judgment

  • publicist

    broader role — a publicist handles media relations and promotes a positive image, not limited to making official statements

Grammar Patterns

spokesperson for [organization]

Usage Note

Frequently preceded by a modifier identifying the organization the person represents (e.g., company spokesperson, White House spokesperson). The gender-neutral term spokesperson has largely replaced spokesman and spokeswoman in professional and journalistic contexts.

Common Mistakes

The spokesperson, he said the factory would close.
The company spokesperson said the factory would close.
'spokesperson' is a countable noun that typically needs a determiner or modifier, not an introductory pronoun reference.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Spokesperson, representative, press secretary, mouthpiece, and publicist all describe people who communicate on someone else's behalf, but they differ in scope and tone. Spokesperson is the most neutral and professional term, used for anyone officially designated to speak for an organization. Representative is far broader: it can mean an elected lawmaker, a sales agent, or anyone acting on another's behalf in any capacity. Press secretary is a specific type of spokesperson working in government or political campaigns, typically handling daily media enquiries. Mouthpiece carries a negative connotation — it implies the speaker has no authority and just parrots a party line. Publicist focuses on promoting a positive image and managing media relationships rather than delivering official statements. For example, a White House press secretary answers reporters' questions daily, while a celebrity's publicist arranges interviews and manages the star's reputation.

representative ↗press secretarymouthpiecepublicist

Common collocations

Nouns

  • company spokesperson
  • government spokesperson
  • official spokesperson
  • campaign spokesperson
  • hospital spokesperson
  • family spokesperson

Phrases

  • spokesperson for [organization]
  • spokesperson from [organization]

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word spokesperson was coined in the 1970s as a gender-neutral alternative to spokesman (first recorded in the 1530s) and spokeswoman (1600s). The 'spokes-' element comes from 'spoken', the past participle of Old English 'specan' (to speak), combined with 'person'. It gained wide use in journalism and official communications as institutions moved toward inclusive language.