appointee

noun

ap·​poin·​tee ə-ˌpȯin-ˈtē 

ˌa-

1

: one who is appointed

2

: one to whom an estate is appointed

Synonyms of appointee

• nominee
• candidate

Examples of appointee in a Sentence

the announcement of the presidential appointees to the cabinet

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, because of his imprudent and inaccurate sloganeering, even with a majority of his appointees sitting on the board, the mayor faces the prospect of a legal and political fiasco that implicates the honesty of his most prominent promise to his constituents. —Christian Browne, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2026

Otherwise, it's been a parade of acting directors and senior political appointees. —Pien Huang, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026

Political appointees filled top leadership posts that had once been occupied by career staff. —Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 25 Mar. 2026

Before the contracts reach Noem, they must be approved by a series of political appointees, who each sign or initial a checklist sometimes referred to internally as a routing sheet. —Joshua Kaplan, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for appointee

• agree
• allee
• banshee
• beastly
• bibi
• bowsprit
• carefree
• cerci
• chablis
• cowpea
• crappie
• crappy

Kids Definition

appointee

noun

ap·​poin·​tee ə-ˌpȯin-ˈtē 

ˌa-ˌpȯin-

: a person appointed to a position or an office

Legal Definition

appointee

noun

ap·​poin·​tee ə-ˌpȯin-ˈtē, ˌa- 

1

: a person who is appointed to a position

2

: a person to whom property is appointed under a power of appointment