designate
1 of 2adjective
des·ig·nate ˈde-zig-ˌnāt 
-nət
: chosen but not yet installed (see install sense 2a)
ambassador designate
designate
2 of 2verb
des·ig·nate ˈde-zig-ˌnāt
designated; designating
transitive verb
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. Conant c
: specify, stipulate
to be sent by a designated shipper
3
: denote
associate names with the people they designate
4
: to call by a distinctive title, term, or expression
a particle designated the neutron
designative
ˈde-zig-ˌnā-tiv
adjective designator
ˈde-zig-ˌnā-tər
noun designatory
ˈde-zig-nə-ˌtȯr-ē
adjective 
Synonyms
Verb
- appoint
- fix
- name
- set
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb The wooden stakes designate the edge of the building site. the designated time for the meeting
Recent Examples on the Web Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2022 So far, the nonprofit has helped save more than 73 million acres of wildlands and 3,580 miles of rivers, stop or remove 37 dams, designate five marine reserves, and establish 21 climbing areas. Amelia Arvesen, Outside Online, 17 Aug. 2022 In May Bloomberg reported that Nonkululeko Nyembezi had been appointed as Chairman-designate effective. Jasmine Browley, Essence, 11 Aug. 2022 Plakon has received a variety of endorsements, including Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma, Florida House of Representatives speaker-designate Paul Renner and attorney general Ashley Moody. Abigail Hasebroock, Orlando Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2022 The family made headlines in 2019 after it was revealed that Mossimo and Loughlin paid college admissions scam ringleader Rick Singer $500,000 to falsely designate Olivia Jade and Bella as recruits to the University of Southern California crew team. Amanda Taylor, PEOPLE.com, 28 July 2022 Secretary of State-designate Tony Blinken was deputy secretary of state and deputy national security adviser during the Obama administration. Emily Larsen, Washington Examiner, 24 Nov. 2020 In the runup to the return, designate someone to provide information about what the company is doing to help promote employee well-being. Paul Mcdonald, Forbes, 13 Apr. 2022 Art or a gallery wall can help designate zones, says Chelsey Brown of City Chic Decor in New York. Mimi Montgomery, Washington Post, 13 July 2022 Dov Lieber And Aaron Boxerman, WSJ, 18 Aug. 2022 Wendelken was out of minor league options, necessitating the move to designate him for assignment. Theo Mackie, The Arizona Republic, 5 July 2022 Yet many states have been slow to designate it as an official holiday. Jamie Stengle And Cheyanne Mumphrey, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2022 During the same period, the indictment alleges, Nathan Carman persuaded his mother to designate him as a beneficiary of her inheritance. Dennis Romero, NBC News, 10 May 2022 The city was set to receive a $5.6-million grant to purchase the land and designate it open space, until the Federal Emergency Management Agency pulled back the funding because homeowners had already been paid legal settlements. Hannah Frystaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2022 In 1988, the northern fur seals’ population decline spurred the federal government to designate them as a depleted species. Anchorage Daily News, 10 Apr. 2022 In a 1920 ruling, however, the Supreme Court confirmed the Antiquities Act authorizes presidents to designate monuments of any size. Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune, 5 Sep. 2022 Ukrainian officials have pushed for Western countries to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism for attacks that have killed scores of civilians throughout Ukraine. Matthew Luxmoore, WSJ, 3 Sep. 2022 See More
Adjective
That's where a user can enter a list of IP addresses and designate which computers someone can use to withdraw funds from the account. Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2022 So far, the nonprofit has helped save more than 73 million acres of wildlands and 3,580 miles of rivers, stop or remove 37 dams, designate five marine reserves, and establish 21 climbing areas. Amelia Arvesen, Outside Online, 17 Aug. 2022 In May Bloomberg reported that Nonkululeko Nyembezi had been appointed as Chairman-designate effective. Jasmine Browley, Essence, 11 Aug. 2022 Plakon has received a variety of endorsements, including Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma, Florida House of Representatives speaker-designate Paul Renner and attorney general Ashley Moody. Abigail Hasebroock, Orlando Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2022 The family made headlines in 2019 after it was revealed that Mossimo and Loughlin paid college admissions scam ringleader Rick Singer $500,000 to falsely designate Olivia Jade and Bella as recruits to the University of Southern California crew team. Amanda Taylor, PEOPLE.com, 28 July 2022 Secretary of State-designate Tony Blinken was deputy secretary of state and deputy national security adviser during the Obama administration. Emily Larsen, Washington Examiner, 24 Nov. 2020 In the runup to the return, designate someone to provide information about what the company is doing to help promote employee well-being. Paul Mcdonald, Forbes, 13 Apr. 2022 Art or a gallery wall can help designate zones, says Chelsey Brown of City Chic Decor in New York. Mimi Montgomery, Washington Post, 13 July 2022 Verb
Israel sealed the offices of seven Palestinian nongovernmental organizations, including those working on human rights and child protection, months after a decision to designate them as terrorist groups sparked an international backlash. Dov Lieber And Aaron Boxerman, WSJ, 18 Aug. 2022 Wendelken was out of minor league options, necessitating the move to designate him for assignment. Theo Mackie, The Arizona Republic, 5 July 2022 Yet many states have been slow to designate it as an official holiday. Jamie Stengle And Cheyanne Mumphrey, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2022 During the same period, the indictment alleges, Nathan Carman persuaded his mother to designate him as a beneficiary of her inheritance. Dennis Romero, NBC News, 10 May 2022 The city was set to receive a $5.6-million grant to purchase the land and designate it open space, until the Federal Emergency Management Agency pulled back the funding because homeowners had already been paid legal settlements. Hannah Frystaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2022 In 1988, the northern fur seals’ population decline spurred the federal government to designate them as a depleted species. Anchorage Daily News, 10 Apr. 2022 In a 1920 ruling, however, the Supreme Court confirmed the Antiquities Act authorizes presidents to designate monuments of any size. Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune, 5 Sep. 2022 Ukrainian officials have pushed for Western countries to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism for attacks that have killed scores of civilians throughout Ukraine. Matthew Luxmoore, WSJ, 3 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Verb
Latin designatus, past participle of designare — see design entry 1
First Known Use
Adjective
1629, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1596, in the meaning defined at sense 2a
Phrases Containing designate
Kids Definition
designate
verb
des·ig·nate ˈde-zig-ˌnāt
designated; designating
1
: to appoint or choose for a special purpose
They designated a leader.
2
: to call by a name or title
Let's designate this angle of the triangle a.
3
: to mark or point out : indicate
These lines designate the boundaries.
designating
verb
1
as in choosing
to decide upon (the time or date for an event) usually from a position of authority the designated time for the meeting Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- choosing
- selecting
- setting
- appointing
- naming
- picking
- specifying
- establishing
- assigning
- announcing
- arranging
- determining
- adopting
- fixing
- coordinating
- declaring
- preferring
- orchestrating
- publishing
- advertising
- settling
- pinning (down)
- opting (for)
- singling (out)
2
as in appointing
to pick (someone) by one's authority for a specific position or duty he has yet to designate his successor as head of the firm Synonyms & Similar Words
- appointing
- nominating
- assigning
- naming
- constituting
- attaching
- authorizing
- placing
- inducting
- commissioning
- selecting
- detailing
- choosing
- delegating
- electing
- creating
- instituting
- inaugurating
- deputizing
- installing
- consecrating
- ordaining
- instating
- crowning
- deputing
- anointing
- drafting
- making
- enthroning
- handpicking
- investing
- destining
- throning
- voting (in)
- singling (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- dismissing
- expelling
- discharging
- removing
- firing
- displacing
- evicting
- ejecting
- overthrowing
- deposing
- ousting
- unseating
- dethroning
- throwing out
- unmaking
- uncrowning
- blackballing
3
as in naming
to give a name to he was designated "Air Jordan" by his fans Synonyms & Similar Words
- naming
- calling
- labeling
- nominating
- terming
- dubbing
- entitling
- titling
- nicknaming
- denominating
- labelling
- specifying
- denoting
- baptizing
- styling
- christening
- renaming
- baptising
- cleping
- stigmatizing
- tagging
- branding
- relabeling
- misnaming
- miscalling
- rechristening
- mistitling
- code-naming
- relabelling
- surnaming
