designate to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "designate to" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct usage would typically involve "designate" followed by a direct object and a preposition, such as "as" or "for." Example: "The committee will designate the new leader for the project."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

Whom would you designate to raise your children if you died?

The New York Times

Mr. Greenspan has not said yet whom he would designate to represent him on the board.

The New York Times

Wrongly allowed Werritty to attend a meeting in September last year with Matthew Gould, then the British ambassador designate to Israel.

The Guardian

US vice-president Joe Biden immediately telephoned president Massoum and Haider al-Abadi, whom the White House described as "prime minister designate", to offer greater US military support in their efforts to defeat Isis.

The Guardian

Nancy Powell, the first female American ambassador- designate to India, will arrive in New Delhi later this week bearing a few words of Hindi, a much-used camera and ambitious plans for the countries' relationship, according to an introductory video released Tuesday by the Embassy.

The New York Times

Therefore, the growth direction of the nanobelt can also be designate to be part of the <111> family directions.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

Talk story about John Hay Whitney, U.S. Ambassadors-Designate to England.

The New Yorker

The New Yorker, January 19 , 1957P. 24 Talk story about John Hay Whitney, U.S. Ambassadors-Designate to England.

The New Yorker

The Vietnamese Ambassador-designate to the United States, Le Van Bang, told me, "American soldiers are coming back to Vietnam.

The New Yorker

Friis served as secretary at the court of King Frederick I and became successor-designate to the chancellor.

Encyclopedia Britannica

A statement said Bossi telephoned the prime minister-designate to say he would vote against his government when it was put to a confidence vote in parliament.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating purpose or recipient after "designate", use "as" or "for" instead of "to". For example: Designate funds as research grants. Designate a person for the task.

Common error

Avoid using "to" directly after "designate" when specifying the purpose or recipient. The correct structure typically requires "as" or "for" to properly link the designation with its intent.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "designate to" is often intended to function as a verb indicating the act of assigning or appointing someone or something for a specific purpose. However, as Ludwig AI points out, this construction is not considered grammatically correct in standard English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "designate to" appears in various contexts, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard written English. As Ludwig AI explains, it is preferable to use constructions like "designate as" or "designate for" to properly convey the intended meaning. Though examples exist across Science, News & Media, and Wiki sources, the incorrect usage makes it unsuitable for formal or academic writing. Correct alternatives include assign to, appoint to, or allocate to, ensuring clarity and grammatical accuracy in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assign to

Focuses on the act of allocating a task or responsibility to someone.

appoint to

Emphasizes a formal selection or assignment to a position or role.

allocate to

Highlights the distribution of resources or responsibilities for a particular purpose.

dedicate to

Implies setting aside or reserving something specifically for a certain use.

name as

Focuses on identifying or specifying someone for a particular role.

nominate for

Suggests putting forward a name for consideration for a position.

select for

Implies choosing someone or something from a group for a specific purpose.

choose as

Highlights the act of picking or opting for someone or something.

earmark for

Emphasizes setting aside funds or resources for a specific project or purpose.

set aside for

Implies reserving or keeping something separate for a particular use or recipient.

FAQs

How should I correctly use "designate" in a sentence?

Use "designate" followed by a direct object and then "as" or "for" to indicate the purpose or role. For instance, "designate the area as a protected zone" or "designate someone for the position" are correct.

What are some alternatives to "designate to"?

Instead of "designate to", consider using phrases like "assign to", "appoint to", or "allocate to" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "designate to"?

No, the phrase "designate to" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Standard English usage requires different prepositions or constructions after "designate", such as "designate as" or "designate for".

What is the difference between "designate as" and "designate for"?

"Designate as" is used when giving a title, role, or purpose, while "designate for" is used when specifying an intended recipient or use. For example, "designate the area as a park" versus "designate funds for research".