1
as in choosing
to decide upon (the time or date for an event) usually from a position of authority
the designated time for the meeting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in appointing
to pick (someone) by one's authority for a specific position or duty
he has yet to designate his successor as head of the firm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in naming
to give a name to
he was designated "Air Jordan" by his fans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of designating
Last year, the government constrained the movements of media within the building, designating certain wings of the Casa Rosada off limits and capping attendance at news briefings.
—
ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
That can include checking for possible reasons the child is crying, such as hunger or needing a diaper change; trying out a list of strategies to calm the baby; and designating a spot, such as a crib or playpen, to leave the child for a few minutes while the parent cools off.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
At the Stratton Lock and Dam in McHenry, the river has reached nearly 7 feet Monday, designating it as a major flooding condition, said David Christensen, director of McHenry County’s emergency management agency.
—Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
The Angels opened a spot for Grissom by designating Jeimer Candelario for assignment.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 11 Apr. 2026
In 2006, the city of Seattle passed an ordinance designating two core areas of the city as Alcohol Impact Areas, where the sale of 34 brands of high-alcohol content, low-price beer and wine products were banned.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Teams have already begun extending qualifying offers and designating core players.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
The expulsion order comes after Tehran criticized Argentina for designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
—Gonzalo Zegarra, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
In a bid to manage limited resources, the government has mandated a four-day work week, designating Wednesdays as public holidays.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
That can include checking for possible reasons the child is crying, such as hunger or needing a diaper change; trying out a list of strategies to calm the baby; and designating a spot, such as a crib or playpen, to leave the child for a few minutes while the parent cools off.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
At the Stratton Lock and Dam in McHenry, the river has reached nearly 7 feet Monday, designating it as a major flooding condition, said David Christensen, director of McHenry County’s emergency management agency.
—Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
The Angels opened a spot for Grissom by designating Jeimer Candelario for assignment.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 11 Apr. 2026
In 2006, the city of Seattle passed an ordinance designating two core areas of the city as Alcohol Impact Areas, where the sale of 34 brands of high-alcohol content, low-price beer and wine products were banned.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Teams have already begun extending qualifying offers and designating core players.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
The expulsion order comes after Tehran criticized Argentina for designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
—Gonzalo Zegarra, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
In a bid to manage limited resources, the government has mandated a four-day work week, designating Wednesdays as public holidays.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for designating
Verb
-
Local water is also more reliable, even though predicting rain in the Mediterranean climate of Southern California is about as easy as choosing a winning Super Lotto number.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The Dolphins doubled down on Red Raiders prospects after, earlier Friday, choosing Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez with their lone second-round pick.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Avex has made several notable moves over the past year, first with acquiring Silverstein’s S10 Publishing and appointing him CEO.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Apr. 2026
-
But the board went in a new direction, appointing Manuel Pellegrini — with the Chilean lasting 18 months, before the club came crawling back to Moyes.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And the general idea of naming a horse The Puma is pretty funny.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
In a speech to Congress, the monarch avoided naming the president but highlighted democratic norms, Ukraine and Western unity.—
Michael Birnbaum,
Washington Post,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The more important developments were Honeywell agreeing to sell its Warehouse and Workflow Solutions unit and setting June 29 as the date to spin off its aerospace business into a separate company.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2026
-
With Hunter setting the tone in the trenches, Texas Tech reached the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.—
Tobias Bass,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On April 15, the city’s preservation commission voted to support nominating the hotel for the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, a program of the National Park Service.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
25 Apr. 2026
-
In nominating Shin for the Kay Sexton Award, Hwang explained that long before racial equity and amplifying BIPOC voices gained support in Minnesota and across the country, Shin was at the forefront of difficult and challenging but necessary projects and conversations.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In November 2024, Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and Bob Blumenfield introduced a motion calling for the city to explore bypassing LAHSA and contracting directly with service providers, citing concerns about fragmentation and accountability.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
And their second-best defender, Jaden McDaniels, is skilled at calling the Nuggets’ names.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
After selecting Cooper and Ponds, the Jets became the fourth team in the modern era to select multiple Indiana players in the same draft [49ers, Giants, and Bears].—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
With tight end believed to be the next biggest need on their roster, selecting Raridon in the third round makes sense for the Patriots after the rest of the league went on a run at the position in the second and third rounds.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Andy begins assigning tough features about meaningful topics outside of which accessories go best with your spring wardrobe, none of which hit with Runway readers.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
29 Apr. 2026
-
More faculty are requiring office hours, assigning presentations and cold-calling on students in class.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Designating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/designating. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
