nominate
verb
nom·i·nate
ˈnä-mə-ˌnāt 
nominated; nominating
1
2
a
: to appoint or propose for appointment to an office or place
a judge who 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
Winning another Emmy is off the table, though, making this a race between the gifted Seehorn, a perennial Emmy underachiever, and Russell, nominated five times as actor and still looking for her first trophy.
—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
7 July 2026
Despite its mixed reception and the eventual drama surrounding its star, Karla Sofía Gascón, and the following implosion during awards season, it got nominated for best picture at the 2023 Academy Awards, and Vaccarello got close to Oscar glory.
—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
6 July 2026
While these victories may not matter in deep-blue districts, Liasson says some Democrats are worried that swing states and districts could be nominating candidates who are too far left to win.
—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
6 July 2026
Let’s say those four aforementioned series that were nominated last year come back, what else makes it in?
—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
6 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for nominate
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Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
7 July 2026
Despite its mixed reception and the eventual drama surrounding its star, Karla Sofía Gascón, and the following implosion during awards season, it got nominated for best picture at the 2023 Academy Awards, and Vaccarello got close to Oscar glory.
—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
6 July 2026
While these victories may not matter in deep-blue districts, Liasson says some Democrats are worried that swing states and districts could be nominating candidates who are too far left to win.
—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
6 July 2026
Let’s say those four aforementioned series that were nominated last year come back, what else makes it in?
—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
6 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for nominate
Cite this Entry
“Nominate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nominate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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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