representative
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.someone who has been chosen to speak or make decisions for a group.
n.an individual appointed or elected to act or speak on behalf of others, often in a professional or political capacity.
Simple“I need to speak with a customer service representative about my bill.”
In context“The union representative negotiated with the management team to ensure better safety protocols for the factory workers.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'of' or 'for'.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a member of a government body, like the House of Representatives in the US.
n.an elected official in a legislative body, specifically used as a title for members of the lower house in several countries.
Simple“You should write a letter to your local representative about the new road.”
In context“The Representative from Ohio introduced a bill aimed at increasing federal funding for renewable energy research.”
UsageOften capitalized when used as a formal title before a name.
Synonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.having the same qualities as the rest of a group.
adj.serving as a typical or characteristic example of a larger class or group.
Simple“We interviewed a representative sample of people to see what they thought.”
In context“The survey results were not truly representative of the national mood because most participants lived in urban areas.”
UsageFrequently used in the phrase 'representative sample'.
SynonymsAntonymsatypicalunrepresentative - 04 C1 Advanced
adj.showing or describing something in a clear way.
adj.serving to represent or portray something through a likeness or symbol.
Simple“The painting is representative of the artist's early style.”
In context“The statues were highly representative, capturing the intricate details of traditional clothing from that period.”
SynonymsAntonyms
Usage fairly representative · representative sample
From Middle English representative, from Middle French representatif and its etymon Medieval Latin repraesentātīvus. By surface analysis, represent + -ative; See representation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.