nomination

noun

nom·​i·​na·​tion ˌnä-mə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce nomination (audio)
Synonyms of nominationnext
1
: the act, process, or an instance of nominating
2
: the state of being nominated

Examples of nomination in a Sentence

We expect him to get the Democratic nomination. Membership is by nomination only. The novel earned a nomination for the National Book Award. The film received five Academy Award nominations. The nominations for the Academy Awards have been announced.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The best way to stay in the know is to follow nominations as they’re revealed in real time Wednesday. — Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 But the scandal engulfing Platner’s candidacy has invited a who’s who of Maine Democrats to float their names for the nomination, some of whom are more liberal than others. — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 7 July 2026 This comes on the heels of a very busy year for the actress, who racked up several nominations, including a Best Actress nod at the 2026 Academy Awards, for her role in Song Sung Blue. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 7 July 2026 For her work on the show over the past 27 seasons, Hargitay has received eight Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, winning in 2006. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for nomination

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nomination was in the 15th century

Rhymes for nomination

See All Rhymes for nomination

Browse Nearby Words

nominatim
nomination
nominative
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nomination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nomination. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

nomination

noun
nom·​i·​na·​tion ˌnäm-ə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce nomination (audio)
1
: the act, process, or an instance of nominating
2
: the state of being nominated

More from Merriam-Webster on nomination

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for nomination

Nglish: Translation of nomination for Spanish Speakers

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