in the name of
Idioms-
By the authority of, as in Open up, in the name of the law! [Late 1300s]
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On behalf of, as in She made a donation in her daughter's name . [Late 1300s]
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; . With appeal to, as in In the name of God, stop that noise! or What in heaven's name are you doing? [c. a.d. 900]
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Under the designation of, as in They burned witches at the stake in the name of piety . [Late 1300s]
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Under the possession or ownership of, as in The certificate of ownership was rightfully in my name . [Mid-1900s]
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in one's own name . On one's own behalf, as in Mary signed the check for John in her own name . [Late 1800s]
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.
If anything, expect much more unhinged measures in the name of a cure-all.
From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2026
It revealed an assumption in law about who may act in the name of safety.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Colonial states are founded on dispossession, he argues—and when indigenous peoples “resist,” they are simply destroyed in the name of security.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
An update to the Scottish Police Authority in the name of Chief Constable Jo Farrell described "a deeply concerning war between rivals" which had eventually come to an end for multiple reasons.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
All I wondered was how, in the name of Heaven and a merciful God, was I going to make it through the hours ahead.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
