Synonyms of delegate

delegate 1 of 2

noun

ˈde-li-gət 

1

as in ambassador

a person sent on a mission to represent another

the delegate had a list of concerns to discuss with the country's new prime minister

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ambassador
• representative
• envoy
• minister
• agent
• diplomat
• legate
• consul
• emissary
• deputy
• proxy
• missionary
• spokesperson
• foreign minister
• attaché
• apostle
• nuncio
• procurator
• messenger
• ambassadress
• evangelist
• legation
• chargé d'affaires
• deputation
• courier
• mouthpiece
• detachment

2

as in representative

a person who acts or does business for another

the real estate developer sent a delegate to the town meeting to represent his interests

Synonyms & Similar Words

• representative
• deputy
• agent
• attorney
• manager
• minister
• proxy
• ambassador
• assignee
• rep
• envoy
• factor
• commissary
• procurator
• diplomat
• spokesperson
• surrogate
• substitute
• speaker
• plenipotentiary
• replacement
• foreign minister
• spokesman
• legate
• distributor
• diplomatist
• operative
• stand-in
• sub
• alternate
• liaison
• emissary
• spy
• broker
• arbitrator
• backup
• mediator
• arbiter
• informer
• intermediary
• relief
• pinch hitter
• conciliator
• peacemaker
• understudy
• middleman
• prophet
• point man
• intercessor
• mouthpiece
• point person
• comprador
• go-between
• interposer

delegate

2 of 2

verb

ˈde-li-ˌgāt 

1

as in to appoint

to appoint as one's representative

he delegated his son to go pick up the tickets for him

Synonyms & Similar Words

• appoint
• deputize
• commission
• assign
• depute
• nominate
• designate
• charge
• name

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• abrogate
• abdicate

2

as in to hand

to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another

a manager who is reluctant to delegate authority to subordinates

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hand
• leave
• transfer
• entrust
• give
• relinquish
• deliver
• pass
• transmit
• trust
• commit
• commend
• grant
• confide
• recommend
• vest
• hand over
• turn over
• assign
• loan
• submit
• consign
• confer
• give over
• distribute
• repose
• lend
• divide
• deal (out)
• will
• bequeath
• dispense
• furnish
• supply
• surrender
• turn in
• disperse
• yield
• hand in
• release
• hand down
• advance
• recommit
• hand on
• redeliver
• retransmit
• retransfer

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hold
• retain
• keep
• withhold
• receive
• own
• possess
• accept
• reserve
• take
• hold back
• occupy
• detain
• take over
• take in

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of delegate

Noun

Under new rules approved by the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee, the DNC would not seat any of a rogue state’s delegates to the national convention and impose a $270,000 fine. — Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register, 14 Aug. 2026

This week, Cuba commemorated Castro with events including the International Book Fair, art exhibitions, concerts and gatherings of delegates from leftist organizations across the continent. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026

Verb

Authority gets delegated, combined and passed across tools in seconds. — Shashwat Sehgal, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Each Claude Code subagent can be delegated a small task, such as doing a statistical analysis to inform a sports-gambling algorithm. — Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2026

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!