Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense appoints, present participle appointing, past tense, past participle appointed
1. verb
If you appoint someone to a job or official position, you formally choose them for it.
It made sense to appoint a banker to this job. [VERB noun + to]
The commission appointed a special investigator to conduct its own inquiry. [VERB noun to-infinitive]
The Prime Minister has appointed a civilian as defence minister. [VERB noun + as]
She was appointed a U.S. delegate to the United Nations. [beVERB-ed noun]
Synonyms: assign, name, choose, commission More Synonyms of appoint
2. See also appointed
More Synonyms of appoint
appoint in British English
(əˈpɔɪnt)
verb(mainly tr)
1. (also intr)
to assign officially, as for a position, responsibility, etc
she was appointed manager
2.
to establish by agreement or decree; fix
a time was appointed for the duel
3.
to prescribe or ordain
laws appointed by tribunal
4. property law
to nominate (a person), under a power granted in a deed or will, to take an interest in property
5.
to equip with necessary or usual features; furnish
a well-appointed hotel
Derived forms
appointer (apˈpointer)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Old French apointer to put into a good state, from a point in good condition, literally: to a point
appoint in American English
(əˈpɔɪnt)
verb transitive
1.
to set (a date, place, etc.); decide upon officially; decree
to appoint a time for a meeting
2.
to name or select officially for an office, position, etc.
to appoint a chairman
3.
to furnish and arrange
now usually in well-appointed, etc.
4. Law
to decide the disposition of (property) by special authority
verb intransitive
5.
to make appointments to an office, position, etc.
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈfurnish
Word origin
ME apointen < OFr apointer, to arrange, make ready < ML appunctuare < L ad, to + punctum, point
Examples of 'appoint' in a sentence
appoint
The same powers are routinely used to sign treaties and appoint ministers.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The Dons hope to appoint a new manager early next week.
The Sun (2016)
The new man will not be formally appointed to the board.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It is expected to be formally appointed by the end of the month.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Advisers have yet to be formally appointed to work on a bid.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The company has not appointed bankers to work on a deal.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The coalminer's son was formally appointed yesterday after a temporary sixmonth spell in charge.
The Sun (2009)
The role of permanent secretary should go and ministers should appoint departmental chief executives so they are really responsible for policy and implementation.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Most of the leading banks and many other organisations have appointed employee wellbeing managers, a role that did not exist three years ago.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
A serious rethink is required, with ministers appointing and being responsible for the actions of theseagencies.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It also urges the government to appoint a minister for alcohol and to resurrect plans for a minimum unit price, which were dropped last year.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
His standing in the party was reinforced when she became Prime Minister and appointed him deputy chairman of the party as well as treasurer.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Word lists with
appoint
Property law terms
In other languages
appoint
British English: appoint /əˈpɔɪnt/ VERB
If you appoint someone to a job or post, you formally choose them for it.
They have appointed a consultant to carry out the investigation.
American English: appoint
Arabic: يُعَيِّـنُ
Brazilian Portuguese: designar
Chinese: 任命
Croatian: postaviti
Czech: jmenovat do funkce
Danish: udnævne
Dutch: aanstellen
European Spanish: designar
Finnish: nimittää
French: nommer
German: einstellen
Greek: διορίζω
Italian: nominare
Japanese: 任命する
Korean: 임명하다
Norwegian: peke ut
Polish: wyznaczyć
European Portuguese: nomear
Romanian: a numi
Russian: назначать
Latin American Spanish: designar
Swedish: utse
Thai: แต่งตั้ง
Turkish: atamak
Ukrainian: призначати
Vietnamese: bổ nhiệm
Chinese translation of 'appoint'
appoint
(əˈpɔɪnt)
vt
to appoint sb (to sth) (to post) 任命某人(为(為)某职(職)) (rènmìng mǒurén (wéi mǒuzhí)) (to political position, post of honour) 委任某人(为(為)某职(職)) (wěirèn mǒurén (wéi mǒuzhí))
to appoint sb manager任命某人为(為)经(經)理 (rènmìng mǒurén wéi jīnglǐ)
1 (verb)
Definition
to assign officially to a job or position
It made sense to appoint a banker to this job.
Synonyms
assign
Did you choose this country or were you simply assigned here?
name
The Scots have yet to name their team.
choose
I chose him to accompany me on my trip.
commission
You can commission them to paint something especially for you.
select
elect
The people have voted to elect a new president.
install
delegate
Officials have been delegated to start work on a settlement.
nominate
It is legally possible for an elderly person to nominate someone to act for them.
Opposites
fire
,
dismiss
,
sack (informal)
, discharge,
give the sack (informal)
,
give (someone) their P45 (British, informal)
,
give (someone) their pink slip (US, informal)
2 (verb)
Definition
to fix or decide (a time or place for an event)
We met at the time appointed.
Synonyms
decide
The goal that decided the match came just before half-time.
set
A date will be set for a future meeting.
choose
establish
He has established himself as a pivotal figure in US politics.
determine
The people have a right to determine their own future.
settle
Right, that's settled then.
fix
He's fixed a time when I can see him.
arrange
specify
assign
He assigned her all his land.
designate
We need to designate someone as our spokesperson.
allot
We were allotted half an hour to address the committee.
Opposites
cancel
3 (verb)
Definition
to equip or furnish
Synonyms
equip
The country did not have the funds to equip the reserve army properly.
provide
I will be happy to provide you with a copy of the report.
They did not provide any food.
supply
a pipeline which will supply the city with natural gas
furnish
Many proprietors try to furnish their hotels with antiques.
fit out
Opposites
strip
,
dismantle
,
divest
Additional synonyms
in the sense of allot
Definition
to assign as a share or for a particular purpose
We were allotted half an hour to address the committee.
Synonyms
assign,
allocate,
designate,
set aside,
earmark,
mete,
share out,
apportion,
budget,
appropriate
in the sense of arrange
Definition
to arrive at an agreement
Synonyms
agree,
determine,
settle,
compromise,
adjust,
come to terms
in the sense of choose
Definition
to select (a person, thing, or course of action) from a number of alternatives