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des·ig·nate
ˈde-zig-ˌnāt 
designated; designating
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Verb
The wooden stakes designate the edge of the building site.
the designated time for the meeting
Recent Examples on the Web
Cnn Staff, CNN, 16 Dec. 2022
On Friday night, at Bass Performance Hall, music director-designate Robert Spano led the orchestra in winning performances of varied repertoire.
—Dallas News, 9 Apr. 2022
Related: Red Sox designate Jeter Downs, a key piece to the Mookie Betts trade, for assignment Casas hit just .197 with 5 homers and 12 RBIs in 95 plate appearances.
—Julian Mcwilliams, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Dec. 2022
And the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is now retooling its Carnegie Classifications, which designate schools by type — such as research universities or liberal arts colleges.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 14 Nov. 2022
As Aoun’s term ends, the country is being run by a caretaker government after Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati failed to form a new Cabinet following May 15 parliamentary elections.
—Abby Sewell, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Oct. 2022
Soto-Martinez is one of several candidates in the Nov. 8 city election taking aim at the anti-camping law, which allows council members to designate sidewalks at libraries, senior centers and other facilities as no-camping zones.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2022
In addition, the group is demanding the Biden administration classify fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction and designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
—Meryl Kornfield, Washington Post, 17 Sep. 2022
Supervisors of elections in the three counties will be allowed to extend early voting through the Nov. 8 election and designate additional early voting locations.
—Hurricane Ian, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2022
The Editors, National Review, 8 Oct. 2022
The bipartisan pair is also pushing for passage of legislation that would designate Russia a state sponsor of terror for over its actions in Ukraine.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 30 Sep. 2022
For those who are less patient, listings for the wristbands that designate a spot in line were being sold on eBay for as much as $400.
—Isabella Kwai, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2022
For those who are less patient, listings for the wristbands that designate a spot in line were being sold on eBay for as much as $400.
—Isabella Kwai, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2022
The item, sponsored by Commissioner Alex Fernandez, offers sample language for school leaders to consider adopting that would designate October as LGBTQ History Month.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Sep. 2022
Democratic and Republican senators on Wednesday unveiled a bill that would designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, Reuters reports.
—Devika Rao, The Week, 14 Sep. 2022
The Oswego Village Board will vote on a resolution Tuesday night that would designate a portion of South Adams Street in front of Veterans Serenity Park along the Fox River in honor of Army veteran and community leader Dave Krahn.
—Linda Girardi, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2022
Perhaps, Hamilton said, the swap will lead to more public pressure on the U.S. secretary of state to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism in response to its invasion of Ukraine.
—Alison Steinbach, The Arizona Republic, 9 Dec. 2022
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Adjective
Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati has vowed to hold the culprits accountable.
—Cnn Staff, CNN, 16 Dec. 2022
On Friday night, at Bass Performance Hall, music director-designate Robert Spano led the orchestra in winning performances of varied repertoire.
—Dallas News, 9 Apr. 2022
Related: Red Sox designate Jeter Downs, a key piece to the Mookie Betts trade, for assignment Casas hit just .197 with 5 homers and 12 RBIs in 95 plate appearances.
—Julian Mcwilliams, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Dec. 2022
And the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is now retooling its Carnegie Classifications, which designate schools by type — such as research universities or liberal arts colleges.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 14 Nov. 2022
As Aoun’s term ends, the country is being run by a caretaker government after Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati failed to form a new Cabinet following May 15 parliamentary elections.
—Abby Sewell, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Oct. 2022
Soto-Martinez is one of several candidates in the Nov. 8 city election taking aim at the anti-camping law, which allows council members to designate sidewalks at libraries, senior centers and other facilities as no-camping zones.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2022
In addition, the group is demanding the Biden administration classify fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction and designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
—Meryl Kornfield, Washington Post, 17 Sep. 2022
Supervisors of elections in the three counties will be allowed to extend early voting through the Nov. 8 election and designate additional early voting locations.
—Hurricane Ian, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2022
Verb
There has been talk that the U.S. should respond to the production cut with political or legal reprisals, including passing legislation that would designate OPEC a cartel for the purposes of U.S. antitrust law.
—The Editors, National Review, 8 Oct. 2022
The bipartisan pair is also pushing for passage of legislation that would designate Russia a state sponsor of terror for over its actions in Ukraine.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 30 Sep. 2022
For those who are less patient, listings for the wristbands that designate a spot in line were being sold on eBay for as much as $400.
—Isabella Kwai, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2022
For those who are less patient, listings for the wristbands that designate a spot in line were being sold on eBay for as much as $400.
—Isabella Kwai, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2022
The item, sponsored by Commissioner Alex Fernandez, offers sample language for school leaders to consider adopting that would designate October as LGBTQ History Month.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Sep. 2022
Democratic and Republican senators on Wednesday unveiled a bill that would designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, Reuters reports.
—Devika Rao, The Week, 14 Sep. 2022
The Oswego Village Board will vote on a resolution Tuesday night that would designate a portion of South Adams Street in front of Veterans Serenity Park along the Fox River in honor of Army veteran and community leader Dave Krahn.
—Linda Girardi, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2022
Perhaps, Hamilton said, the swap will lead to more public pressure on the U.S. secretary of state to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism in response to its invasion of Ukraine.
—Alison Steinbach, The Arizona Republic, 9 Dec. 2022
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'designate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Phrases Containing designate
Dictionary Entries Near designate
Cite this Entry
“Designate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/designate. Accessed 4 Feb. 2023.
Kids Definition
designate
verb
des·ig·nate
ˈdez-ig-ˌnāt
designated; designating
More from Merriam-Webster on designate
Nglish: Translation of designate for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of designate for Arabic Speakers
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