designate

1.

/dɛzɪgˈneɪt/

design or destine

2.

/ˈdɛzɪɡnɪt/

appointed but not yet installed in office

Other forms: designated; designating; designates

To designate is to give something a specific status. If you designate your house an opera-free zone, it means that you've officially declared that no opera is allowed to be played there.

To give a person or thing an official status is to designate it as something, like when you designate a meeting place if members of your group get lost at the amusement park. Sometimes, it can carry responsibility or an assignment, like when your teammates designate you as the captain. It can also show a category, like when you designate certain books to the humor section of the bookstore where you work.

Definitions of designate (/dɛzɪgˈneɪt/)

1. verb

   design or destine
   synonyms: destine, intend, specify

   types:

   mean

   destine or designate for a certain purpose

   design

   plan something for a specific role or purpose or effect

   slate

   designate or schedule

   aim, calculate, direct

   specifically design a product, event, or activity for a certain public

   type of:

   plan

   make plans for something
2. verb

   assign a name or title to
   synonyms: denominate

   types:

   denote

   be a sign or indication of

   number

   give numbers to

   label

   assign a label to; designate with a label

   foliate, page, paginate

   number the pages of a book or manuscript

   call

   ascribe a quality to or give a name of a common noun that reflects a quality

   address, direct

   put an address on (an envelope)

   call, name

   assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

   brand, denounce, mark, stigmatise, stigmatize

   accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful
3. verb

   give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person)
   synonyms: assign, delegate, depute

   types:

   mandate

   assign authority to

   cast

   select to play,sing, or dance a part in a play, movie, musical, opera, or ballet

   post

   assign to a post; put into a post

   cast

   assign the roles of (a movie or a play) to actors

   devolve

   pass on or delegate to another

   task

   assign a task to

   place

   place somebody in a particular situation or location

   regiment

   assign to a regiment

   reassign, transfer

   transfer somebody to a different position or location of work

   delegate, depute

   transfer power to someone

   mandate

   assign under a mandate

   advance, elevate, kick upstairs, promote, raise, upgrade

   give a promotion to or assign to a higher position

   break, bump, demote, kick downstairs, relegate

   assign to a lower position; reduce in rank

   place

   assign to (a job or a home)

   recast

   cast again, in a different role

   miscast

   cast an actor, singer, or dancer in an unsuitable role

   typecast

   cast repeatedly in the same kind of role

   second

   transfer an employee to a different, temporary assignment

   exchange

   hand over one and receive another, approximately equivalent

   tenure

   give life-time employment to

   bring up

   promote from a lower position or rank

   spot promote

   promote on the spot

   ennoble, entitle, gentle

   give a title to someone; make someone a member of the nobility

   sideline

   remove from the center of activity or attention; place into an inferior position

   reduce

   bring to humbler or weaker state or condition

   favor, favour, prefer

   promote or prefer over another

   brevet

   promote somebody by brevet, in the military

   type of:

   appoint, charge

   assign a duty, responsibility, or obligation to
4. verb

   indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively
   synonyms: indicate, point, show

   types:

   point

   indicate the presence of (game) by standing and pointing with the muzzle

   finger

   indicate the fingering for the playing of musical scores for keyboard instruments

   call attention, point out, signalise, signalize

   point out carefully and clearly

   reflect

   manifest or bring back

   type of:

   inform

   impart knowledge of some fact, state or affairs, or event to
5. verb

   decree or designate beforehand
   synonyms: destine, doom, fate

   type of:

   ordain

   issue an order