Explanation at your level:
To nominate means to say a name. You tell people who you want to win a prize. If you like a friend, you can nominate them for a class award.
When you nominate someone, you choose them to be a candidate. For example, you might nominate a friend to be the leader of your club. It is a formal way to say 'I pick this person.'
In many organizations, members nominate candidates for positions. This means they formally suggest who should run for office. You might also nominate a movie for an award if you think it is the best one of the year.
The verb nominate implies a structured process. It is common in professional contexts, such as nominating a colleague for a promotion or a project lead. It carries a sense of official endorsement and responsibility.
Beyond simple elections, nominate is used in institutional contexts to designate someone for a specific role or honor. It suggests that the person being nominated has been vetted or is considered worthy of consideration by a committee or a voting body.
Etymologically, nominate serves as a bridge between the act of naming and the act of empowering. In high-level discourse, it denotes the formal initiation of a selection process, often carrying legal or constitutional weight in political science and corporate governance.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Means to formally suggest a candidate.
- Common in political and award contexts.
- Noun form is nomination.
- Often used in passive voice.
When you nominate someone, you are essentially saying, 'I think this person is the right choice for this role or award.' It is a formal act, often used in politics, business, or even at school awards ceremonies.
Think of it as the first step in a race. Before someone can win an election or receive a trophy, they usually have to be nominated by someone else. It is a way of showing support and putting a name forward for consideration by a larger group of people.
The word nominate comes from the Latin word nominare, which means 'to name.' This, in turn, comes from nomen, the Latin word for 'name.' It is fascinating how the core meaning hasn't changed much over thousands of years!
In ancient Rome, to nominate someone was literally to 'name' them for a public office. It entered the English language in the 16th century, retaining that sense of official designation. It shares a root with words like nominee and nominal.
You will hear nominate most often in formal settings. We say 'nominate someone for' a specific award or 'nominate someone as' a candidate for a position.
It is a very specific verb. You wouldn't say you 'nominated' a friend to go to the store; that would be too formal. Instead, save it for things like 'nominate a colleague for an award' or 'nominate a candidate for president.'
While 'nominate' is a formal verb, it appears in phrases like:
- Nominated for an Oscar: Used to describe a film or actor in the running for an award.
- Put forward: A synonym often used interchangeably with nominate.
- Name a successor: A formal way to nominate the next person in line.
- Run for office: The action taken after being nominated.
- Throw one's hat in the ring: An idiom meaning to announce one's candidacy.
Nominate is a regular verb. The past tense is nominated and the present participle is nominating. The stress is on the first syllable: NOM-i-nate.
In British English, the 'o' is often a short vowel, while in American English, it can sound slightly more like 'nah-mi-nate.' It rhymes with words like dominate and germinate.
Fun Fact
It comes from the same root as 'name'.
Pronunciation Guide
Short 'o' sound.
Longer 'ah' sound.
Common Errors
- Misplacing stress
- Dropping the final 't'
- Mispronouncing the middle vowel
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Clear and standard usage.
Requires formal context.
Used in specific settings.
Common in news.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
Passive Voice
He was nominated.
Prepositional Phrases
Nominate for.
Verb Patterns
Nominate someone to do.
Examples by Level
I nominate my friend.
I choose my friend.
Simple subject-verb-object.
He is nominated.
He is a candidate.
Passive voice.
Who did you nominate?
Which person did you pick?
Past tense question.
They nominate a leader.
They pick a boss.
Present tense.
I will nominate her.
I am going to pick her.
Future tense.
We nominate a winner.
We choose a champion.
Simple verb.
Please nominate someone.
Pick a person.
Imperative.
I nominate this book.
I pick this book.
Object is a thing.
I want to nominate Sarah for the award.
They nominated him for the job.
Who would you nominate as captain?
The committee will nominate three people.
She was nominated for best actress.
Did you nominate anyone yet?
I nominate my brother for the prize.
They decided to nominate a new leader.
The party will nominate a candidate next week.
I would like to nominate you for the position.
He was nominated for his outstanding work.
The club members nominated her as president.
Many people nominated the film for an award.
We must nominate a replacement by Friday.
She was proud to be nominated.
Who nominated this person for the board?
The board of directors nominated her to lead the merger.
He was officially nominated as the party's candidate.
The organization nominated several experts for the panel.
She was nominated for her lifelong contribution to science.
They failed to nominate a suitable candidate.
The process to nominate a new judge is complex.
He was nominated for the Nobel Prize.
Many colleagues nominated him for the Employee of the Year award.
The committee was tasked to nominate a successor to the CEO.
She was nominated for the prestigious literary award.
The council nominated him to represent the district.
They have nominated a slate of candidates for the election.
It is an honor to be nominated for such a role.
The governor nominated her to the Supreme Court.
He was nominated in recognition of his humanitarian efforts.
They nominated a group of peers to review the proposal.
The sovereign nominated the ambassador to the foreign court.
He was nominated for the lifetime achievement award.
The faculty nominated her for the distinguished chair.
They nominated a committee to oversee the transition.
The candidate was nominated by acclamation.
The board nominated him to fill the vacancy.
She was nominated for her seminal work in the field.
The group nominated a representative to negotiate the terms.
Common Collocations
Idioms & Expressions
"throw one's hat in the ring"
To announce one is running for something
She threw her hat in the ring for mayor.
casual"put someone's name forward"
To nominate someone
I put his name forward for the job.
neutral"in the running"
Being considered for something
He is in the running for the prize.
neutral"short-listed"
Selected for the final group
She was short-listed for the award.
formal"the front-runner"
The person most likely to be chosen
He is the front-runner in the race.
neutral"a dark horse"
An unexpected candidate
The dark horse won the nomination.
casualEasily Confused
Both involve names
Name is general; nominate is formal
I named my dog vs I nominated him.
Both imply choosing
Select is the final choice; nominate is the suggestion
They selected him vs They nominated him.
Both in politics
Elect is the final vote
They elected him president.
Both involve roles
Appoint is to give the job
She was appointed manager.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + nominate + object + for + noun
I nominate him for the award.
Subject + be + nominated + as + noun
He was nominated as president.
Subject + nominate + someone + to + verb
They nominated her to lead.
Subject + nominate + object
We nominate him.
It + be + nominated + by + agent
It was nominated by the board.
Word Family
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Related
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
Common Mistakes
Nominate is for formal processes.
You nominate someone FOR something.
Nominate implies a process.
Nominate is a verb.
Check the 'e' at the end.
Tips
Memory Palace
Imagine a name tag being placed on a person.
Formal contexts
Use it in meetings or elections.
Awards
Think of the Oscars.
Prepositions
Always use 'for' after nominate.
Stress
Stress the first syllable.
Don't confuse
Don't use it for simple choices.
Latin root
It means 'to name'.
Flashcards
Use 'Nominate/Nomination' together.
Professionalism
It sounds very professional.
Passive voice
It is often used in the passive voice.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
NO-MIN-ATE: No man is late to be named.
Visual Association
A person holding a ballot card with a name on it.
Word Web
Challenge
Nominate three people for a fake award today.
Word Origin
Latin
Original meaning: To name
Cultural Context
None
Common in political and award-show contexts.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Politics
- nominate a candidate
- party nomination
- official nominee
Awards
- nominate for an award
- Oscar nomination
- best actor nominee
Workplace
- nominate for promotion
- nominate a team lead
- peer nomination
Clubs
- nominate a member
- club president nomination
- election process
Conversation Starters
"Who would you nominate for president?"
"Have you ever been nominated for an award?"
"Who is the best person to nominate for this task?"
"Why do we nominate people before voting?"
"Is it better to nominate a friend or a professional?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you nominated someone.
If you could nominate yourself for an award, what would it be?
Explain why nominations are important in democracy.
Describe the qualities of a good nominee.
Frequently Asked Questions
8 questionsNo, it is a verb.
Nomination.
Yes, though it is often seen as less humble.
Rarely.
NOM-in-ate.
No, nomination is the step before voting.
The person who was nominated.
Yes.
Test Yourself
I ___ my friend for the prize.
The word fits the context of choosing.
Which means to suggest a name?
Nominate is the act of suggesting a name.
You can nominate a chair.
You usually nominate people, not objects.
Word
Meaning
Matches the definition.
Subject-verb-object-preposition.
Score: /5
Summary
To nominate is to formally put a name forward for consideration.
- Means to formally suggest a candidate.
- Common in political and award contexts.
- Noun form is nomination.
- Often used in passive voice.
Memory Palace
Imagine a name tag being placed on a person.
Formal contexts
Use it in meetings or elections.
Awards
Think of the Oscars.
Prepositions
Always use 'for' after nominate.
