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Synonyms

appoint

American  
[uh-point] / əˈpɔɪnt /

verb (used with object)

  1. to name or assign to a position, an office, or the like; designate.

    to appoint a new treasurer; to appoint a judge to the bench.

    Synonyms:
    select, choose
    Antonyms:
    discharge, dismiss
  2. to determine by authority or agreement; fix; set.

    to appoint a time for the meeting.

    Synonyms:
    establish, prescribe
  3. Law. to designate (a person) to take the benefit of an estate created by a deed or will.

  4. to provide with what is necessary; equip; furnish.

    They appointed the house with all the latest devices.

  5. Archaic. to order or establish by decree or command; ordain; constitute.

    laws appointed by God.

  6. Obsolete. to point at by way of censure.


verb (used without object)

  1. Obsolete. to ordain; resolve; determine.

appoint British  
/ əˈpɔɪnt /

verb

  1. (also intr) to assign officially, as for a position, responsibility, etc

    he was appointed manager

  2. to establish by agreement or decree; fix

    a time was appointed for the duel

  3. to prescribe or ordain

    laws appointed by tribunal

  4. property law to nominate (a person), under a power granted in a deed or will, to take an interest in property

  5. to equip with necessary or usual features; furnish

    a well-appointed hotel

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See furnish.

Other Word Forms

  • appointable adjective
  • appointer noun
  • misappoint verb (used with object)
  • reappoint verb (used with object)
  • unappointable adjective

Etymology

Origin of appoint

1325–75; Middle English apointen, from Middle French apointer, equivalent to a- a- 5 + pointer “to point

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Any appeal would be heard and decided by one of three jointly appointed and compensated hearing officers: Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster or Jordy Nelson.

From Los Angeles Times

There is also a coaching team, plus performance and medical staff to appoint, to guide this new venture.

From BBC

Initially appointed solely as Test coach, McCullum also assumed responsibility for the England white-ball teams at the beginning of this year.

From BBC

At the time of the 7 October attacks, she was a student and had just been appointed president of the Jewish Society at the University of Aberdeen.

From BBC

Bill Essayli, declining to dismiss indictments he has overseen but finding that he was not lawfully appointed.

From Los Angeles Times