was appointed by

USAGE SUMMARY

"was appointed by" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It is usually used to indicate that someone was chosen or officially assigned to a certain position or task. Example: John was appointed by the company's board of directors to be the new CEO.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

He was appointed by Pres.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Davis, 36, was appointed by Mayor Koch.

The New Yorker

Mr. Miller was appointed by the court.

The New York Times

Three years later Reed was appointed by Pres.

Encyclopedia Britannica

He was appointed by Mayor O'Dwyer.

The New Yorker

He was appointed by presidents of both parties.

The New York Times

Mr. Lhota was appointed by Mr. Cuomo last year.

The New York Times

Judge Bolton was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 2000.

The New York Times

His defense lawyer was appointed by the court.

The New York Times

PROFILE of Mary Lord who was appointed by Pres.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

In 2009, Robert Bobb was appointed by then-Gov.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "was appointed by", ensure the context clearly indicates who did the appointing and what position or role the person was appointed to. This clarifies the relationship and the significance of the appointment.

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by explicitly stating who made the appointment. Instead of "He was appointed", specify "He was appointed by the governor" to provide clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was appointed by" functions as a passive construction, indicating that an individual received an appointment from a specific authority. This construction is commonly used to describe the origin of someone's position or role, as supported by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Encyclopedias

8%

Science

12%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

15%

Reference

9%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "was appointed by" is a grammatically correct and very common phrase used to indicate that someone was officially chosen or assigned to a specific position by a particular authority. As indicated by Ludwig, its usage spans across various contexts, including News & Media, Encyclopedias, and Scientific publications. When using this phrase, clarity is key—always specify who made the appointment to avoid ambiguity. Alternative phrases such as "was designated by" or "was selected by" can be used to vary your writing while maintaining a similar meaning. Avoid ambiguity by explicitly stating who made the appointment.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was designated by

Replaces 'appointed' with 'designated', implying a more formal assignment.

was named by

Replaces 'appointed' with 'named', often used in official announcements.

was assigned by

Implies a task or role was given to someone by a superior.

was selected by

Uses 'selected' instead of 'appointed', suggesting a choice from a pool of candidates.

was chosen by

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

was commissioned by

Suggests that someone was formally charged with a task or project.

received the appointment from

Changes the structure to focus on receiving the appointment rather than being appointed.

was mandated by

Implies a formal requirement or legal obligation to appoint someone.

was put in place by

Emphasizes the act of establishing someone in a position.

was installed by

Suggests a ceremonial or formal placement in a role.

FAQs

How to use "was appointed by" in a sentence?

Use "was appointed by" to show who selected or assigned someone to a role. For example: "The judge was appointed by the President". This indicates the origin of the judge's authority.

What can I say instead of "was appointed by"?

You can use alternatives like "was designated by", "was selected by", or "was chosen by" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "was appointed by" or "is appointed by"?

"Was appointed by" indicates a past event (the appointment has already occurred), whereas "is appointed by" would indicate a current or ongoing process (e.g. "the committee is appointed by the board annually").

What's the difference between "was appointed by" and "was nominated by"?

"Was nominated by" indicates that someone was put forward as a candidate, while "was appointed by" means they were officially selected for the position. Nomination is a step before appointment.