deputize
verb
dep·u·tize
ˈde-pyə-ˌtīz 
deputized; deputizing
: to appoint as deputy
: to act as deputy
Examples of deputize in a Sentence
I deputize for the newspaper's editor on the weekends.
he deputized a local citizen to take charge of the situation while he went for reinforcements
Recent Examples on the Web
Since late 2025, under new agreements with the Department of Homeland Security, Florida has deputized more than eighteen hundred state troopers to perform federal-immigration functions.
—
Edwidge Danticat, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026
Angelina Katsanis / Bloomberg via Getty Images Eight counties across New York, including Nassau, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Chautauqua, Herkimer, Orange, Suffolk and Wayne, currently allow ICE to deputize local police to help detain undocumented immigrants.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
State lawmakers have pushed policies that include deputizing campus police departments to assist federal immigration enforcement, restricting partnerships with institutions tied to countries such as China and Venezuela and increasing scrutiny of foreign students.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Kauffman Stadium is notoriously unfriendly to home run hitters—a product of its cavernous outfield and prevailing wind patterns—and the team recently deputized assistant GM Daniel Mack to study what an adjustment might look like.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deputize
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Edwidge Danticat, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026
Angelina Katsanis / Bloomberg via Getty Images Eight counties across New York, including Nassau, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Chautauqua, Herkimer, Orange, Suffolk and Wayne, currently allow ICE to deputize local police to help detain undocumented immigrants.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
State lawmakers have pushed policies that include deputizing campus police departments to assist federal immigration enforcement, restricting partnerships with institutions tied to countries such as China and Venezuela and increasing scrutiny of foreign students.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Kauffman Stadium is notoriously unfriendly to home run hitters—a product of its cavernous outfield and prevailing wind patterns—and the team recently deputized assistant GM Daniel Mack to study what an adjustment might look like.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deputize
Cite this Entry
“Deputize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deputize. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deputize
verb
dep·u·tize
ˈdep-yə-ˌtīz
deputized; deputizing
1
: to appoint as deputy
2
: to act as deputy
Legal Definition
deputize
verb
dep·u·tize
ˈde-pyə-ˌtīz
deputized; deputizing
: to appoint as deputy
: to act as deputy
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