nominate

[ verb nom-uh-neyt; adjective nom-uh-nit ]

/ verb ˈnɒm əˌneɪt; adjective ˈnɒm ə nɪt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR nominate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), nom·i·nat·ed, nom·i·nat·ing.

to propose (someone) for appointment or election to an office.

to appoint to a duty or office.

to propose for an honor, award, or the like.

Horse Racing. to register (a horse) as an entry in a race.

to name; designate.

Obsolete. to specify.

adjective

having a particular name.

QUIZZES

FOR LEXICAL ALIMENTATION, TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

Nourish your vocabulary with a refresher on the words from the week of September 14–20, 2020!

Question 1 of 7

What does “blatherskite” mean?

a person given to voluble, empty talk.

an ancient Greek or Roman farce that depended for effect largely upon ludicrous actions and gestures.

a check whose amount has been raised by forgery before cashing.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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-ate¹

SYNONYMS FOR nominate

1 pick, choose.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR nominate ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM nominate

nom·i·na·tor, nounre·nom·i·nate, verb (used with object), re·nom·i·nat·ed, re·nom·i·nat·ing.un·nom·i·nat·ed, adjective

Words nearby nominate

nominal par, nominal scale, nominal sentence, nominal value, nominal wages, nominate, nomination, nominative, nominative absolute, nominative case, nominative of address

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for nominate

The movie was also nominated for Best Picture and Peele was nominated for Best Director.
FROM THE VAULTS – Straight, but not narrow|Brian T. Carney|September 11, 2020|Washington Blade
Anyone can apply or nominate someone female or nonbinary for the speakers bureau.
All Raise fights ‘manels’—all-male panels—with the launch of its own speakers bureau|Michal Lev-Ram, writer|September 1, 2020|Fortune
The governor’s office declined to answer questions about whether the governor was aware of them when he nominated Clarkson to his position in late 2018.
Alaska’s Attorney General Resigns Hours After We Published “Uncomfortable” Texts He Sent to a Younger Colleague|by Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News|August 25, 2020|ProPublica
Ross was once nominated to become Alaska attorney general, by then-Gov.
Alaska’s Attorney General on Unpaid Leave After Sending Hundreds of “Uncomfortable” Texts to a Young Colleague|by Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News|August 25, 2020|ProPublica

Political analysts will sometimes recount how the Democrats, after losing three consecutive presidential elections, nominated Bill Clinton in 1992 and moved in a more centrist direction.
Why There Are So Few Moderate Republicans Left|Lee Drutman (drutman@newamerica.org)|August 24, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
And they would, it seems, nominate any movie—no matter how inane—to get those big-name butts in the seats.
The Golden Globes Sobers Up (Sort Of): Years of Ridicule and Bribery Rumors Scares HFPA Straight|Marlow Stern|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Drama schools were visited; members of the public were allowed to nominate themselves.
How 'Gone With the Wind' Got Made|Helen Anders|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Stalwarts had bolted the Red Gym and were holding a shadow convention to nominate their own candidates at the opera house.
The GOP’s Last Identity Crisis Remade U.S. Politics|Michael Wolraich|July 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A federal agency simply has to “nominate” you if it has “reasonable suspicion”—which is slightly more than a hunch.
Oregon Judge Grounds the Federal No-Fly List—and It’s High Time|Dean Obeidallah|June 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When President Barack Obama had to nominate justices to the Supreme Court, many liberals said they wanted a “liberal Scalia.”
The Outside Game of Justice Scalia, a Loner With Clout|David Fontana|June 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Intergrades between these two subspecies have been discussed in the account of the nominate subspecies.
Middle American Frogs of the Hyla microcephala Group|William E. Duellman
Mr Redmond demanded the right to nominate a committee of twenty-five "true-blue" supporters of his own policy.
Ireland Since Parnell|Daniel Desmond Sheehan
"Yes, true; we are about to nominate a municipal councillor," said Phellion, interrupting him.
The Lesser Bourgeoisie|Honore de Balzac
It was at last agreed that each party should nominate delegates to treat with the senate on this matter.
History of the Great Reformation, Volume IV|J. H. Merle D'Aubign
Bonaparte undertook to alter their constitution and nominate their Doge.
The Life of Napoleon I (Volumes, 1 and 2)|John Holland Rose

British Dictionary definitions for nominate

nominate

verb (ˈnɒmɪˌneɪt) (mainly tr)

to propose as a candidate, esp for an elective office

to appoint to an office or position

to name (someone) to act on one's behalf, esp to conceal one's identity

(intr) Australian to stand as a candidate in an election

archaic to name, entitle, or designate

adjective (ˈnɒmɪnɪt)

rare having a particular name

Derived forms of nominate

nominator, noun

Word Origin for nominate

C16: from Latin nōmināre to call by name, from nōmen name

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

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

nominate