nomination
Americannoun
-
an act or instance of nominating, especially to office.
The floor is open for nomination of candidates for the presidency.
-
the state of being nominated.
noun
Other Word Forms
- nonnomination noun
- renomination noun
Etymology
Origin of nomination
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin nōminātiōn- (stem of nōminātiō ) a naming, nomination. See nominate, -ion
Explanation
The first step in the process of electing a candidate for office or giving someone an award is nomination. When someone is officially recommended as a contender, that's their nomination. Your nomination for Best Animated Film in a film festival means that you're one of the directors who will be up for the award. A nomination is a huge honor in itself, because it means you've been chosen to be on a short list of possible winners. During presidential elections, major party nominations are usually made after a primary election — the party's nomination is its official endorsement of a candidate. The Latin root, nominationem, means "a naming."
Vocabulary lists containing nomination
Election Lingo
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Academy Awards, List 1
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Citizenship (Civics) - Middle School
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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.
Instead, they mounted a monumental run that evoked widespread cultural celebration and praise, one Grammy win, and a nomination in the “Album of the Year” category.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
It is now April, and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee still has not voted on her nomination.
From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026
Instead, Clement almost certainly meant former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was considered the frontrunner for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination at the time.
From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026
Music stalwart Florence Welch also receives her fourth nomination, and for Lily Allen it's her third, with West End Girl, her first album in seven years, nominated in the best album category.
From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026
One oilman from Oklahoma told a friend that Harding’s nomination had cost him and his interests $1 million.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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.
