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.
The statement “I have strengthened you in the name of God, oh Homeland,” is on billboards hanging from many homes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
"I, Balendra Shah, in the name of the country and people, pledge that I will be loyal to the constitution," Shah said, dressed all in black, including his trademark dark sunglasses.
From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026
Historians, educators, activists and politicians for far too long elevated Chávez above Huerta in the name of a simplistic narrative that should’ve never been constructed.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026
So what in the name of Uncle Sam happened?
From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026
The next thing Nat knew, Mr. Ropes was striding into the library, calling, “Nat! What in the name of sense happened to you? Did you go to sleep?”
From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham
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.
