des·ig·nate
ˈde-zig-ˌnāt 
designated; designating
1
: to indicate and set apart for a specific purpose, office, or duty
designate a group to prepare a plan
2
a
: to point out the location of
a marker designating the battle
b
: to distinguish as to class (see class entry 1 sense 3)
the area we designate as that of spiritual values—
J. B. Conant
J. B. Conant3
: denote
associate names with the people they designate
4
: to call by a distinctive title, term, or expression
a particle designated the neutron
des·ig·nate
ˈde-zig-ˌnāt
-nət
: chosen but not yet installed (see install sense 2a)
ambassador designate
Synonyms
Examples of designate in a Sentence
Verb
The wooden stakes designate the edge of the building site.
the designated time for the meeting
Recent Examples on the WebKira Caspers, The Arizona Republic, 15 Apr. 2024
Arrowhead Stadium has designated drop-off and pick-up spots for Uber, Lyft, Z-Trip or friends dropping off their friends.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 12 Apr. 2024
National monuments are areas of historic, cultural or natural significance that are designated for federal protection.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
By 1914, President Woodrow Wilson designated it a national holiday.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
While it hasn't been given federal holiday status, Congress has passed resolutions in recent years designating March 21 as national Rosie the Riveter Day.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 10 Apr. 2024
Jacob Zuma, who resigned as South Africa’s president in shame in 2018, is now staging his biggest comeback act yet by running in next month’s parliamentary elections with an upstart opposition party at the top of its ticket — the slot designated for a party’s presidential contender.
—Lynsey Chutel, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
Senate Bill 66 will designate June 6 as Revive Awareness Day in the Sunshine State.
—Landon Mion, Fox News, 9 Apr. 2024
By taking them to Mar-a-Lago rather than sending them to the National Archives, his lawyers say, Trump was effectively designating them as personal.
—Greg Allen, NPR, 4 Apr. 2024
Amy Carleton, Charlotte Observer, 4 Apr. 2024
This outlined that the district police department chief should be the person in control of the scene, should secure the administration office as a command post if possible and designate an alternate post if not, and work to communicate with other responding officers.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 18 Jan. 2024
That's why some are turning to the public domain, a set of laws that designate when movies, artwork, music, and books become free to use.
—Michael Dobuski, ABC News, 30 Jan. 2024
Instead of using each of the three colors equally throughout the space, designate one as the star and consider the others supporting players, suggests Mark Lavender, a Chicago interior designer.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023
House Republicans are now taking a secret ballot vote on whether Rep. Jim Jordan (R., Ohio) should remain the speaker designate.
—WSJ, 20 Oct. 2023
States and cities have increased adaptation efforts in recent years, with projects to restore or buffer natural landscapes, manage floods, build sea walls, expand access to air conditioning, designate cooling centers and develop early warning systems for climate disasters.
—Chelsea Harvey, Scientific American, 14 Nov. 2023
As speaker designate, Johnson declined to take questions Tuesday night about his role in the attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
—Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic, 27 Oct. 2023
The House rule established after the 9/11 attacks required House speakers to designate representatives to preside over the chamber in emergencies.
—Mary Bruce, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2023
Verb
The Israeli ambassador to the UN requested the emergency meeting in a letter Saturday, and requested the council condemn the attack and designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.
—Kira Caspers, The Arizona Republic, 15 Apr. 2024
Arrowhead Stadium has designated drop-off and pick-up spots for Uber, Lyft, Z-Trip or friends dropping off their friends.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 12 Apr. 2024
National monuments are areas of historic, cultural or natural significance that are designated for federal protection.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
By 1914, President Woodrow Wilson designated it a national holiday.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
While it hasn't been given federal holiday status, Congress has passed resolutions in recent years designating March 21 as national Rosie the Riveter Day.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 10 Apr. 2024
Jacob Zuma, who resigned as South Africa’s president in shame in 2018, is now staging his biggest comeback act yet by running in next month’s parliamentary elections with an upstart opposition party at the top of its ticket — the slot designated for a party’s presidential contender.
—Lynsey Chutel, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
Senate Bill 66 will designate June 6 as Revive Awareness Day in the Sunshine State.
—Landon Mion, Fox News, 9 Apr. 2024
By taking them to Mar-a-Lago rather than sending them to the National Archives, his lawyers say, Trump was effectively designating them as personal.
—Greg Allen, NPR, 4 Apr. 2024
Adjective
The weekend, the conductor leads The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra for the first time as its new music director designate, taking the podium for performances in a program that includes Brahms and Tchaikovsky.
—Amy Carleton, Charlotte Observer, 4 Apr. 2024
This outlined that the district police department chief should be the person in control of the scene, should secure the administration office as a command post if possible and designate an alternate post if not, and work to communicate with other responding officers.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 18 Jan. 2024
That's why some are turning to the public domain, a set of laws that designate when movies, artwork, music, and books become free to use.
—Michael Dobuski, ABC News, 30 Jan. 2024
Instead of using each of the three colors equally throughout the space, designate one as the star and consider the others supporting players, suggests Mark Lavender, a Chicago interior designer.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023
House Republicans are now taking a secret ballot vote on whether Rep. Jim Jordan (R., Ohio) should remain the speaker designate.
—WSJ, 20 Oct. 2023
States and cities have increased adaptation efforts in recent years, with projects to restore or buffer natural landscapes, manage floods, build sea walls, expand access to air conditioning, designate cooling centers and develop early warning systems for climate disasters.
—Chelsea Harvey, Scientific American, 14 Nov. 2023
As speaker designate, Johnson declined to take questions Tuesday night about his role in the attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
—Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic, 27 Oct. 2023
The House rule established after the 9/11 attacks required House speakers to designate representatives to preside over the chamber in emergencies.
—Mary Bruce, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'designate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing designate
Dictionary Entries Near designate
Cite this Entry
“Designate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/designate. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
designate
verb
des·ig·nate
ˈdez-ig-ˌnāt
designated; designating
1
: to appoint or choose by name for a special purpose
designate someone as team captain
2
: to mark or point out : indicate
3
: to call by name or title
Etymology
Verb
from Latin designatus, past participle of designare "to choose for a purpose," from de- "down, from" and signare "to mark, mark out, sign, stamp with a seal," from signum "mark, sign, image" — related to sign
More from Merriam-Webster on designate
Nglish: Translation of designate for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of designate for Arabic Speakers
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