Merriam-Webster’s WOTD (Word Of The Day): Apparatchik. Appropriate For the Trump Administration & Trump Party

Apr 8, 2025 10:24 AM EDT, Tue

Today’s Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day (WOTD) is apparatchik. The definition is appropriate for Trump’s, his cabinet, and administration, so I created a blog post of the Trumpers. Anyway, I got sucked into a rabbit hole and forgot why I went to Merriam-Webster.

I’ll add the Trumpians in the House of Representatives and Senate once I create the list.

Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day for Apr 8 is “apparatchik”:

What It Means

Apparatchik is used disapprovingly to refer to a blindly devoted official, follower, or member of an organization, such as a corporation or political party.

// This generation of graduates wants more out of life than to become establishment apparatchiks.

See the entry >

“Played by What We Do in the Shadows’ Matt Berry, Shazbor is a faithful party apparatchik and staunch defender of his country’s traditions …” — Damon Wise, Deadline, 25 Jan. 2025

Did you know?

The apparat in apparatchik (a term English speakers borrowed from Russian) essentially means “party machine,” with machine referring to a highly organized political group under the leadership of a boss or small group of individuals: apparatchik originally referred to someone functioning as a cog in the system of the Communist Party. The term is not a flattering one, and its negative connotations reflect the perception of some Communists as obedient drones in the great Party machine. In current use, however, a person doesn’t have to be a member of the Communist Party to be called an apparatchik; they just have to be someone who mindlessly follows orders in an organization or bureaucracy.

Definition

noun ap·​pa·​rat·​chik | \ ˌä-pə-ˈrä(t)-chik
plural ap​pa​rat​chiks also ap​pa​rat​chi​ki \ ˌä-pə-ˈrä(t)-chi-kē
Definition 1: a member of a Communist apparat 2: a blindly devoted official, follower, or member of an organization (such as a corporation or political party) //a movie studio >apparatchik](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apparatchik) First Known Use 1941, in the meaning defined at sense 1 History and Etymology Russian, from apparat

#47’s Cabinet

Federal Agency Functions
U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) The Department of Commerce (DOC) works with businesses, universities, communities, and the Nation’s workers to promote job creation, economic growth, sustainable development, and improved standards of living for Americans.
Small Business Administration (SBS) The Small Business Administration (SBS) helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships, the Small Business Administration assists and protects the interests of small business concerns.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protects people and the environment from significant health risks, sponsors and conducts research, and develops and enforces environmental regulations.
Department of Justice (DOJ) The Department of Justice (DOJ) enforces federal laws, seeks just punishment for the guilty, and ensures the fair and impartial administration of justice.
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) collects, evaluates, and disseminates vital information on economic, military, political, scientific, and other developments abroad to safeguard national security.
Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) integrates the intelligence gathering and analysis functions performed across the intelligence community to provide intelligence to decision makers.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) oversees the performance of federal agencies, and administers the federal budget.
Department of Defense (DOD) The Department of Defense (DOD) provides the military forces needed to deter war, and to protect the security of the United States.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) The Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, and related issues.
Department of Energy (DOE) The Department of Energy (DOE) manages the United States’ nuclear infrastructure and administers the country’s energy policy. The Department of Energy also funds scientific research in the field.
Department of Education (ED) The Department of Education (ED) fosters educational excellence and ensures equal access to educational opportunity for all.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) protects the health of all Americans and provides essential human services.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) works to improve the security of the United States. The Department’s work includes customs, border, and immigration enforcement, emergency response to natural and manmade disasters, antiterrorism work, and cybersecurity.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers programs that provide housing and community development assistance. The Department also works to ensure fair and equal housing opportunity for all.
Department of the Interior (DOI) The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages public lands and minerals, national parks, and wildlife refuges and upholds Federal trust responsibilities to Indian tribes and Native Alaskans. Additionally, Interior is responsible for endangered species conservation and other environmental conservation efforts.
Department of Labor (DOL) The Department of Labor (DOL) administers federal labor laws to guarantee workers’ rights to fair, safe, and healthy working conditions, including minimum hourly wage and overtime pay, protection against employment discrimination, and unemployment insurance.
Department of State (DOS) The Department of State (DOS) advises the President and leads the nation in foreign policy issues. The State Department negotiates treaties and agreements with foreign entities and represents the United States at the United Nations.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) runs programs benefiting veterans and members of their families. It offers education opportunities and rehabilitation services and provides compensation payments for disabilities or death related to military service, home loan guaranties, pensions, burials, and health care that includes the services of nursing homes, clinics, and medical centers.
Department of Transportation (DOT) The Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for planning and coordinating federal transportation projects. It also sets safety regulations for all major modes of transportation.
Department of the Treasury The Department of the Treasury manages federal finances by collecting taxes and paying bills and by managing currency, government accounts and public debt. The Department of the Treasury also enforces finance and tax laws.
U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) negotiates with foreign governments to craft trade agreements and resolve disputes.

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