nominate
verb
nom·i·nate
ˈnä-mə-ˌnāt 
nominated; nominating
1
2
a
: to appoint or propose for appointment to an office or place
He was nominated to the Supreme Court.
b
: to propose as a candidate for election to office
We expect the party to nominate him for president.
c
: to propose for an honor
nominate her for player of the year
He was nominated for an Academy Award.
3
: to enter (a horse) in a race
Examples of nominate in a Sentence
We expect the party to nominate him for president.
The President nominated her for Attorney General.
Someone has to tell her the truth—I nominate you.
We nominated her for player of the year.
Recent Examples on the Web
The 38-year-old actress is nominated for Best Actress for her role as Elphaba Thropp in Jon M. Chu's Wicked.
—
Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
Her little sister — who died in 2010 — was nominated for Georgy Girl (1986) and Gods and Monsters (1998).
—Lydia Price, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
Ford has been nominated for one Academy Award in 1986 in the Best Actor category for his performance in the movie Witness.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 2 Mar. 2025
But only seven have been nominated for the biggest honor of the ceremony, best picture.
—Sarah Whitten,sara Salinas,russell Leung, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nominate
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Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
Her little sister — who died in 2010 — was nominated for Georgy Girl (1986) and Gods and Monsters (1998).
—Lydia Price, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
Ford has been nominated for one Academy Award in 1986 in the Best Actor category for his performance in the movie Witness.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 2 Mar. 2025
But only seven have been nominated for the biggest honor of the ceremony, best picture.
—Sarah Whitten,sara Salinas,russell Leung, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nominate
Cite this Entry
“Nominate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nominate. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nominate
verb
nom·i·nate
ˈnäm-ə-ˌnāt
nominated; nominating
: to choose as a candidate for election, appointment, or honor
especially
: to propose for office
nominated a senator for president
Legal Definition
nominate
1 of 2 adjective
nom·i·nate
ˈnä-mə-nət, -ˌnāt
in the civil law of Louisiana
: having a special or certain name compare innominate
nominate
2 of 2 transitive verb
nom·i·nate
ˈnä-mə-ˌnāt
nominated; nominating
1
: to appoint or propose for appointment to an office, position, or place
if the testator has nominated an executor of the will
the President…shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors—U.S. Constitution art. II
U.S. Constitution art. II2
: to propose as a candidate for election to office
Etymology
Latin nominatus, past participle of nominare to call by name, from nomin-, nomen name
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