be appointed to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase “be appointed to” is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when someone is chosen to fulfill a certain responsibility or duty. For example, “The mayor appointed Jessica to be the new city treasurer.”.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Mr. Barak could yet be appointed to another term.

The New York Times

She is the second woman to be appointed to it.

The New Yorker

A prosecutor should be appointed to help them.

The Guardian

b. federalists would be appointed to his cabinet.

The New York Times

3. to be appointed to the federal bench, in 1966.

The New York Times

He also announced that women would be appointed to serve on the Consultative Council.

Encyclopedia Britannica

One or more investigative magistrates will now be appointed to pursue the inquiry.

Independent

Should two auditors be appointed to especially important companies, so they can check each others' work?

The Economist

Once the deal is complete, Mr. Hermance is to be appointed to the M&T board.

The New York Times

He is widely expected to be appointed to the Senate by Gov. Brian Sandoval, a Republican.

The New York Times

It also said a trustee would be appointed to monitor such an agreement.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "be appointed to" when emphasizing the act of someone being officially selected for a specific role or responsibility. For example, "She will be appointed to the committee next week."

Common error

Avoid using active voice constructions when the passive voice is more appropriate. For example, instead of "The board will appoint him to the position", use "He will be appointed to the position" to emphasize the action rather than the actor.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be appointed to" functions as a passive voice construction, indicating that someone is the recipient of the action of being appointed. It is commonly used to describe the act of assigning someone to a role, position, or responsibility, as seen in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Encyclopedias

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "be appointed to" is a grammatically correct and frequently used passive construction that indicates someone has been officially selected for a role or duty. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is appropriate in various contexts, ranging from news reports to formal announcements. The phrase is most common in news and media, encyclopedias and science publications. When writing, it's important to use the correct tense and voice, favoring the passive voice construction to emphasize the action of being appointed rather than the actor doing the appointing. Alternatives such as "be designated to" or "be selected for" can be used to provide nuance, but "be appointed to" remains a clear and widely accepted way to describe an official assignment.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be designated to

This implies a formal assignment to a specific role or duty.

be named to

Indicates a formal naming or announcement of the appointment.

be assigned to

This suggests a more general assignment, not necessarily a formal appointment.

be selected for

This emphasizes the choice or selection process involved.

be chosen for

Similar to 'be selected for', but can imply a less formal selection process.

be nominated for

This suggests being put forward as a candidate for a position.

be tapped for

Implies a more informal selection, often for a specific skill or expertise.

be installed in

Suggests a formal ceremony or process of taking up a position.

take up a position in

This phrase focuses on the action of assuming the role.

be inducted into

Similar to "be installed in", suggesting a formal introduction or welcome to a new role.

FAQs

How do I use "be appointed to" in a sentence?

Use "be appointed to" when someone is officially chosen for a role or duty. For example, "The senator will "be appointed to" the committee."

What are some alternatives to "be appointed to"?

Alternatives include phrases like "be designated to", "be selected for", or "be named to", depending on the specific context and nuance you wish to convey.

Is it correct to say "he was appoint to" instead of "he was appointed to"?

No, "he was appoint to" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is "he was "be appointed to"", using the past participle form of the verb "appoint".

What's the difference between "be appointed to" and "be elected to"?

"Be appointed to" implies being chosen or assigned a position, while "be elected to" means winning a position through a voting process. For example, someone can "be appointed to" a committee, but they are "be elected to" an office.