appointed
Americanadjective
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by, through, or as a result of an appointment (often in contrast withelected ).
an appointed official.
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predetermined; arranged; set.
They met at the appointed time in the appointed place.
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provided with what is necessary; equipped; furnished.
a beautifully appointed office.
Synonym Usage
See furnish.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of appointed
Explanation
To be appointed is to be given a task or job. If you're appointed as the week's doughnut fetcher at work, it means you've been assigned the job of bringing treats for everyone. You might be appointed for a small duty or for a large promotion, as when the gym teacher at school is unexpectedly appointed principal. Another way to use the adjective appointed is to mean "well furnished." Lovely homes and fancy hotels are often described as "well appointed" or "luxuriously appointed.
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.
The chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the MP Dame Emily Thornberry, said there were "still unanswered questions as to how someone so clearly unfit was appointed British Ambassador to the United States".
From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026
Unified to need a state bailout, its school board would lose authority over the school system, with authority transferring to an administrator appointed by Duardo.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026
Duran Lantink was appointed as the permanent creative lead at Jean Paul Gautier in April last year - with his inaugural haute couture show much anticipated.
From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026
The younger Khamenei was appointed to succeed his father in March but has never appeared in public, raising questions about the level of his control.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026
In the latter case, their status is weaker and more dangerous, since they depend entirely upon the will of those citizens who are appointed as magistrates.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
