delegation

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noun del·e·ga·tion \ˌde-li-ˈgā-shən\

Definition of delegation

1 : the act of empowering to act for another the delegation of responsibilities
2 : a group of persons chosen to represent others the state's congressional delegation

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Examples of delegation in a Sentence

He's been chosen to lead the delegation to the conference.
a delegation from the local scout troop is being sent to the national jamboree

Recent Examples of delegation from the Web

In 2007, she was appointed by President George W. Bush as a member of the U.S. delegation to the United Nation’s General Assembly.

— fletcher page, The Courier-Journal, "John Calipari in DC to support Trump's pick for ambassador to Canada," 20 July 2017
In 2015, the Saudi king opened the Kaaba, the most sacred site in Islam, for Kadyrov and his delegation on a rare occasion when visitors were allowed to see it outside the holy month of Ramadan.

— nataliya vasilyeva, The Seattle Times, "Chechnya becoming major player in rebuilding war-torn Syria," 18 July 2017
And, for the first time since 1941, the state has no women serving in its congressional delegation.

— josh hicks, Washington Post, "Maya Rockeymoore, wife of Rep. Elijah Cummings, weighs run for Md. governor," 18 July 2017
That decision essentially wiped off the books term-limit laws that 23 states had for their congressional delegations.

— john sharp, AL.com, "Most Republican Senate hopefuls in Alabama want term limits for Congress -but not everyone," 13 July 2017
One of those misperceptions, according to think tankers who met with the delegation but wished to remain anonymous, concerned a recent law regulating Egyptian NGOs.

— avi asher-schapiro, The Atlantic, "Egypt's Best Friends in D.C.," 8 July 2017
WASHINGTON — The United States is one step closer to acquiring polar icebreakers that Alaska's congressional delegation has long argued are desperately needed.

— erica martinson, Alaska Dispatch News, "Senate could authorize up to 6 icebreakers – when there’s money for them," 30 June 2017
Portman’s meeting with North Korea’s delegation to the United Nations came as Warmbier was almost one year into his imprisonment in that repressive dictatorship.

— deirdre shesgreen, Cincinnati.com, "Portman held secret meeting with North Koreans on Otto Warmbier," 21 June 2017
San Diego County’s best and brightest were there (from Abnormal and Alpine to Pizza Port and Societe), plus a delegation of distinguished visitors (Boneyard, Cellarmaker, Half Acre, Knee Deep, Surly and many more).

— pacific, Pacific San Diego Magazine, "24 things for your San Diego summer-must list," 15 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'delegation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

What Is a delegation?

The task of a delegation—each member of which can be called a delegate—is to represent a larger group, often at a conference. Thus, a delegation of nondoctors to a medical convention may want to make sure the rights and needs of patients aren't ignored, just as a delegation of laypeople may attend a religious conference to express the concerns of other laypeople.