des·ig·nate
ˈde-zig-ˌnāt 
designated; designating
1
: to indicate and set apart for a specific purpose, office, or duty
designate a group to prepare a plan
2
a
: to point out the location of
a marker designating the battle
b
: to distinguish as to class (see class entry 1 sense 3)
the area we designate as that of spiritual values—
J. B. Conant
J. B. Conant3
: denote
associate names with the people they designate
4
: to call by a distinctive title, term, or expression
a particle designated the neutron
des·ig·nate
ˈde-zig-ˌnāt
-nət
: chosen but not yet installed (see install sense 2a)
ambassador designate
Examples of designate in a Sentence
Verb
The wooden stakes designate the edge of the building site.
the designated time for the meeting
Recent Examples on the Web
Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025
Such extraordinary diversity flourished in the context of one exceptional circumstance: the United States was one of only a handful of countries (including Mexico, Australia, and Eritrea) to not designate an official language.
—Graciela Mochkofsky, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
Although the proposal does not designate which company would supply them, a 2021 bill introduced by Republican state Sen. Donna Campbell all but guarantees Texas will contract with the same vendor, the National Child Identification Program.
—Lexi Churchill, ProPublica, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for designate
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Verb
In Tuesday’s corresponding move, the Sox designated pitcher Yoendrys Gómez for assignment.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025
Such extraordinary diversity flourished in the context of one exceptional circumstance: the United States was one of only a handful of countries (including Mexico, Australia, and Eritrea) to not designate an official language.
—Graciela Mochkofsky, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
Adjective
In 2021, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. questioned how presidents have implemented the Antiquities Act to designate sprawling monuments and signaled the court might revisit the law in a future case.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
Although the proposal does not designate which company would supply them, a 2021 bill introduced by Republican state Sen. Donna Campbell all but guarantees Texas will contract with the same vendor, the National Child Identification Program.
—Lexi Churchill, ProPublica, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for designate
Cite this Entry
“Designate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/designate. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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