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Synonyms

nominate

American  
[nom-uh-neyt, nom-uh-nit] / ˈnɒm əˌneɪt, ˈnɒm ə nɪt /

verb (used with object)

nominated, nominating

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

    Synonyms:
    choose, pick

  2. to appoint to a duty or office.

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

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

  5. to name; designate.

  6. Obsolete. to specify.

adjective

  1. having a particular name.

nominate British  

verb

  1. to propose as a candidate, esp for an elective office

  2. to appoint to an office or position

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

  4. (intr) to stand as a candidate in an election

  5. archaic to name, entitle, or designate

"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

adjective

  1. rare having a particular 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

Other Word Forms

  • nominator noun
  • renominate verb (used with object)
  • unnominated adjective

Etymology

Origin of nominate

1475–85; < Latin nōminātus (past participle of nōmināre to name, call by name), equivalent to nōmin- (stem of nōmen; nomen ) + -ātus -ate 1

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.

She’s the first woman nominated for the Grammy’s Producer of the Year award, and still holds the record for the biggest debut tour in history.

From Salon

Following the election any party will be able to nominate a candidate to be first minister ahead of a Senedd vote.

From BBC

Consider this a plea to Kevin Warsh, nominated to succeed Mr. Powell as Fed chairman: Please, please, put the dots out of our misery.

From The Wall Street Journal

As host of the awards, Elz isn't giving away who she's backing to take the top prize, but says she's been "sinking in a lot of hours to some of the games nominated".

From BBC

The Australian government introduced legislation to block visa holders from nominated countries from visiting earlier this month, on the same day it granted humanitarian visas to seven members of the Iranian women's football delegation.

From BBC

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.