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
The president’s comments come after his administration expanded a federal program that deputizes local police to enforce immigration laws, signing up nearly 16,000 officers across 40 states as part of an effort to boost deportations, according to data reviewed by Bloomberg News.
—
Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2025
Lang’s proposals have raised concerns among legal experts, who say deputizing private militias for immigration enforcement could be dangerous.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
That is according to an episode for Funeralcast, a podcast for the mortuary industry, which is being deputized to be part of Alcor’s preservation process.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025
The move allowed the city to deputize its police officers with immigration enforcement powers, although the police chief said in the summer that, for now, just three officers would be selected and trained.
—Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deputize
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2025
Lang’s proposals have raised concerns among legal experts, who say deputizing private militias for immigration enforcement could be dangerous.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
That is according to an episode for Funeralcast, a podcast for the mortuary industry, which is being deputized to be part of Alcor’s preservation process.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025
The move allowed the city to deputize its police officers with immigration enforcement powers, although the police chief said in the summer that, for now, just three officers would be selected and trained.
—Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deputize
Cite this Entry
“Deputize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deputize. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share