appoint

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'appoint' is a correct and usable word in written English.
It can be used to mean to designate someone to a position or task or to arrange a meeting. Example: The hospital appointed a new doctor to its staff.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"When he resigns he has got to be able to advise the Queen whom to appoint in his place".

The Guardian

A group of Indigenous leaders and elders has branded as racist the South Australian government's decision to suspend the executive board of traditional landowners and appoint an administrator.

The Guardian

They were being used to plan and organise, to appoint leaders and launch operations".

The Guardian

He says that if, when he applied to be chairman of the BBC Trust, he has been told that managing large IT projects was part of his job, he would have told them to appoint someone else.

The Guardian

Hatzistefanis advises small businesses to stay true to who they would like to represent their brand and appoint a celebrity they trust with the reputation of their company.

The Guardian

You either need to be suitably qualified or experienced to do this yourself, or you should appoint someone suitable to do this on your behalf.

The Guardian

She urged Greening to confirm whether she had fulfilled her commitment to appoint a representative on to Network Rail's remuneration committee.

The Guardian - Business

Phones 4u's private equity owner, BC Partners, said it would appoint PwC as administrators for its 720 outlets, including 550 stores, on Monday.

The Guardian - Business

The first is why the Coalition would appoint a self-confessed climate science sceptic to review the RET and expect the work to be taken as an exercise in objective analysis.

The Guardian

Pouring $40m of his own money into the state-owned theatre, Kekhman persuaded the authorities to appoint him the Mikhailovsky's general director.

The Guardian

It would be for the local authorities within each provincial area to appoint their representatives on the provincial council.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the word "appoint", ensure that the context clearly indicates who is doing the appointing and who is being appointed to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using incorrect prepositions after "appoint". It's typically "appoint someone to a position" not "appoint someone in a position".

Linguistic Context

The word "appoint" primarily functions as a transitive verb, requiring a direct object. Ludwig examples show it used to designate someone to a role, schedule a meeting, or furnish something with equipment. According to Ludwig AI, the word is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

25%

Sport

10%

Less common in

Science

8%

Encyclopedias

6%

Wiki

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "appoint" is a versatile verb used to assign roles, schedule events, or equip something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically sound and widely used. With high frequency across diverse contexts, from news to business, "appoint" signifies formality and decisiveness. When using "appoint", remember to use the correct preposition, "to", to ensure clarity. Consider synonyms like "designate", "name", or "assign" for subtle variations in meaning. By understanding its nuances and common errors, you can confidently use "appoint" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

designate

A more formal term for assigning a specific role or function.

name

Implies formally selecting someone for a position.

assign

Focuses on allocating a task or responsibility.

nominate

Suggests putting forward a candidate for consideration.

select

Emphasizes the act of choosing from a group.

schedule

Refers specifically to fixing a time for a meeting or event.

ordain

Often used in a religious context, meaning to invest with ministerial or priestly authority.

commission

Indicates formally entrusting someone with a specific task or duty.

constitute

Highlights the act of forming or establishing a group or body.

determine

Focuses on establishing or deciding something with certainty.

FAQs

How to use "appoint" in a sentence?

Use "appoint" to indicate the act of formally choosing someone for a position or task. For example, "The committee will appoint a new chair".

What can I say instead of "appoint"?

You can use alternatives like "designate", "name", or "assign" depending on the context.

What is the difference between "appoint" and "elect"?

"Appoint" implies selection by an individual or a small group, while "elect" implies selection by a larger body through a voting process. For example, "The governor will appoint a judge," but "The people will elect a president."

Is it correct to say "appoint someone in a role"?

No, the correct phrasing is "appoint someone to a role". The preposition "to" indicates the direction or purpose of the appointment.