designation

noun

des·​ig·​na·​tion ˌde-zig-ˈnā-shən 

1

: the act of indicating or identifying

the designation of a speech sound

2

: appointment to or selection for an office, post, or service

awaiting his next designation

3

: a distinguishing name, sign, or title

… the only star in Lynx with a Greek letter designation

—Richard Berry

approved the area's designation as a wildlife refuge

4

: the relation between a sign and the thing signified

Synonyms of designation

• moniker
• name
• title
• nomenclature
• nickname
• appellation

Examples of designation in a Sentence

Though many people call her a liberal, it is not a designation she uses herself.

we've never given the homemade gadget a proper designation

Recent Examples on the Web

This dispute culminated in the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s designation, by outraged tweet, of Anthropic as a supply-chain risk—a standing peril to national security. —Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026

King Taco #1 in Cypress Park received unanimous Los Angeles City Council's Planning and Land Use Management Committee approval on Tuesday to move the historic landmark designation forward. —Julie Sharp, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026

The move came just days after the designation, as Anthropic also mounted a legal challenge and sought to push back on Pentagon demands for broad access to its AI tools. —Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026

This designation allows struggling rural hospitals to keep their emergency departments and outpatient services while eliminating inpatient beds. —Daniel R. George, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see designate entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing designation

• self-designation

Rhymes for designation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

designation

noun

des·​ig·​na·​tion ˌdez-ig-ˈnā-shən 

1

: the act of indicating or identifying

2

: appointment to or selection for an office, post, or service

3

: a name, sign, or title that identifies something