nominate
Americanverb (used with object)
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nominates,
present (3rd person singular)
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nominated,
past participle, past
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nominating
present participle
adjective
verb
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to propose as a candidate, esp for an elective office
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to appoint to an office or position
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to name (someone) to act on one's behalf, esp to conceal one's identity
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(intr) to stand as a candidate in an election
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archaic to name, entitle, or designate
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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nominatesimple
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nominatessimple
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have nominatedperfect
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has nominatedperfect
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am nominatingprogressive
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are nominatingprogressive
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is nominatingprogressive
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have been nominatingperfect progressive
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has been nominatingperfect progressive
Past
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nominatedsimple
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had nominatedperfect
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was nominatingprogressive
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were nominatingprogressive
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had been nominatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of nominate
1475–85; < Latin nōminātus (past participle of nōmināre to name, call by name), equivalent to nōmin- (stem of nōmen; see nomen) + -ātus -ate 1
Explanation
When you suggest a person for a position in the government, or propose a theme for your school's prom, you nominate that person or idea, especially if it's done in an official way. In the United States, political parties hold primary elections and conventions to nominate candidates for president. The word nominate originally meant "to call by name," from the Latin word for "name," nomen , but by 1600 it began to be used to talk about politics.
Vocabulary lists containing nominate
Bud, Not Buddy
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And the Oscar Goes to... Award-worthy Words
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Iroquois Constitution
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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.
See Examples For:
The House of Keys will then sit on 13 October to nominate a chief minister and speaker of the House of Keys.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he would nominate acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao for the permanent position.
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
In theory, the race to nominate his successor could end Tuesday, should one candidate win an outright majority.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
The plane maker can also nominate a director to Archer’s board.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
It would seem so natural because she’s so incredible, who wouldn’t nominate her.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
President Trump expressed concern about losing Kevin Hassett as his economic adviser if he nominates him for Federal Reserve chair.
From Barron's ● Jan. 16, 2026
For instance, the bar nominates candidates to the board that adjudicates lawyers’ misconduct, and helps to set the board’s budget.
From Slate ● Apr. 24, 2025
But, that’s not all: Anybody who nominates an official whose eyes seem to need fixing will receive $1,000 off their own Lasik procedure.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2024
Likewise, the state’s Conservative Party normally nominates the same candidate as the Republicans.
From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2024
An antislavery coalition forms the Free Soil party and nominates former president Martin Van Buren as its candidate.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
Another single, their Spanish-language anthem “Ego,” was nominated for rock song at the 2026 Latin Grammys.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
Jamaican writer James is nominated this year for his latest novel The Disappearers; while Scottish author Stuart is shortlisted for John of John.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
When Pennsylvania elected him, the governor nominated Republicans to be his secretary of state and revenue secretary.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
Kevin Warsh, whom Trump nominated to lead the Fed earlier this year, tried to stay positive.
From Slate ● Sep. 16, 2026
At their convention later in June, the Democrats nominated Winfield Scott Hancock as their candidate.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
"I'm not nominating anyone for sainthood here. What I am telling you is that this is a person that, in the past, has been helpful to the United States government," the official added.
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
But so, too, was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which sharply curtailed the Democratic nominating fight.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
I have no objection to the Democrats’ nominating an oysterman for a Senate seat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
But in the end she added her name to the wave of Labour MPs nominating Andy Burnham as leader, propelling the former Greater Manchester mayor into Downing Street uncontested.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
James Garfield went to the convention as part of the Ohio delegation and gave a speech nominating fellow Ohioan Sherman.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
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.
