public agent

USAGE SUMMARY

'public agent' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is usually used to refer to an individual or organization that provides a service to the public. For example, "The public agent investigated the case and determined that there was no wrongdoing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"The society has the right of requesting account from any public agent of its administration," it says.

TechCrunch

To date, experience shows that the coexistence of private and public agent founded by the State, has not been free of obstacles.

Contaduría y Administración

This week president Dilma Rousseff signed off on additional provisional measures that allow any public agent in search of mosquitos – including soldiers - to forcibly enter properties where the owner is absent, or the building has been abandoned.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Mr. Veloso, the police chief, said he could not rule out that there was an extortion attempt by the guards, whom he described as "public agents," a term that can be used for police officers or other members of the public security forces.

The New York Times - Sports

They capped this period with millions of lost jobs, millions of homeowner evictions, and now forced austerity for the public agents of redevelopment.

Huffington Post

In terms of public agents involved in RH financing, the Ministry of Public Health proved to play the most important role.

BMC Health Services Research

As we approached him, a public relations agent blocked our way.

The New York Times

"They're all doing it," said Howard J. Rubenstein, the New York public relations agent who advises political clients.

The New York Times

At several points during the news conference, Gary Lewi, a public relations agent for Mr. Morrell, had to stop Mr. Rosenberg and Mr. Cohn from yelling at each other.

The New York Times

"Sometimes West Point is taken for granted and underappreciated because it's right in our backyard," said Geoff Thompson, a public relations agent in Briarcliff.

The New York Times

"Wall Street used to look down its nose at us and sniff," said Mr. Warfield, a public relations agent whose corporate clients include Ronald S. Lauder, the cosmetics heir.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "public agent" when you want to specifically emphasize that the individual is acting on behalf of a public entity or serving a public function.

Common error

Be careful not to confuse "public agent", which refers to someone acting on behalf of a public entity, with "public relations agent", which is someone who manages the public image of a person or organization.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "public agent" primarily functions as a noun phrase, typically acting as the subject or object of a sentence. It identifies an individual or entity acting on behalf of a government or public institution. As Ludwig AI explains, it refers to someone providing a service to the public.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "public agent" is a grammatically correct noun phrase that refers to an individual or entity authorized to act on behalf of a government or public institution. As Ludwig AI confirms, it describes someone providing a service to the public. While the phrase appears more frequently in news and media contexts, it maintains a neutral to professional tone. Common alternatives include "government official" and "civil servant". It is crucial not to confuse it with "public relations agent", which denotes someone managing public image. Although "public agent" is grammatically correct, it's relatively rare, suggesting that other terms might be preferred in certain contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

government official

Emphasizes the governmental affiliation of the agent.

state employee

Highlights the employment by the state.

civil servant

Focuses on service to the public.

public servant

Highlights the aspect of serving the public.

government representative

Stresses the representational role of the agent.

municipal worker

Specifies employment at the municipal level.

federal agent

Indicates agency at the federal level.

official representative

Emphasizes the formal representative capacity.

public sector employee

Highlights employment within the public sector.

state functionary

More formal term for a state employee performing official functions.

FAQs

What does "public agent" mean?

A "public agent" is an individual or entity authorized to act on behalf of a government or public institution. They carry out specific duties or responsibilities in service to the public.

How is a "public agent" different from a private agent?

A "public agent" works for a government or public institution, whereas a private agent works for a private company or individual. The "public agent" serves the public interest, while a private agent serves the interests of their client.

What are some examples of "public agents"?

Examples of "public agents" include police officers, government regulators, social workers, and other officials who perform duties on behalf of the government.

What's another phrase I can use instead of "public agent"?

Alternatives to "public agent" include "government official", "civil servant", or "public servant" depending on the specific context.