delegation
noun
del·e·ga·tion
ˌde-li-ˈgā-shən 
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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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.
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 on the Web
Aside from holding meetings with various institutions in Madrid, the delegation visited some of Spain’s major production hubs, including the Canary Islands and the Ciudad de la Luz studios in Alicante.
—
Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
Biya’s frailty, his frequent and prolonged absences from public view, and the delegation of his signature authority to his chief of staff since 2019 have long raised concerns about the center of power in Yaoundé.
—Amindeh Blaise Atabong, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025
There’s a chance that the SEC’s Playoff delegation consists of the team with the most appearances of anyone (Bama, with eight) and three with none at all.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Ken Calvert Calvert, 72, is the senior Republican in California’s House delegation, having served in Congress since 1993.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
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Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
Biya’s frailty, his frequent and prolonged absences from public view, and the delegation of his signature authority to his chief of staff since 2019 have long raised concerns about the center of power in Yaoundé.
—Amindeh Blaise Atabong, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025
There’s a chance that the SEC’s Playoff delegation consists of the team with the most appearances of anyone (Bama, with eight) and three with none at all.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Ken Calvert Calvert, 72, is the senior Republican in California’s House delegation, having served in Congress since 1993.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delegation
Cite this Entry
“Delegation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delegation. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
delegation
noun
del·e·ga·tion
ˌdel-i-ˈgā-shən
1
: the act of delegating power or authority to another
2
: one or more persons chosen to represent others
Legal Definition
delegation
noun
del·e·ga·tion
ˌde-li-ˈgā-shən
1
: the act of delegating
2
: a group of persons chosen to represent others
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