Explanation at your level:
To appoint means to pick someone for a job. If a boss needs a new helper, they appoint a person. It is a very formal word. You use it when someone important chooses someone else.
You use appoint when you choose someone for a specific duty. For example, a teacher might appoint a student to be the leader of a group. It is also used for time, like 'the appointed time' to start a class.
In business, we appoint people to positions. It means to officially name them as the person responsible for a task. It implies authority. You can also use it to describe setting a time for a meeting, though this is more common in formal writing.
The word appoint carries a sense of official selection. Unlike 'choose,' which is casual, 'appoint' suggests a legal or organizational process. It is frequently used in news reports regarding government officials, judges, or board members.
Beyond its standard use, appoint can describe the state of being 'well-appointed,' meaning equipped with high-quality furnishings. It reflects a sense of order and precision. In academic or legal contexts, it is the standard term for the formal designation of an individual to a post or office.
Etymologically, appoint reflects the act of bringing matters to a 'point' of resolution. It is used in literary contexts to describe fate or destiny, such as 'the appointed hour of death.' It signifies a level of finality and structured arrangement that is absent in synonyms like 'select' or 'nominate.'
30秒词汇
- Appoint means to officially choose for a role.
- It is a formal word used in business and government.
- It also means to fix a time or place.
- The adjective form 'appointed' describes someone chosen or a time set.
When you appoint someone, you are essentially giving them a job or a responsibility. Think of it as a formal way of saying 'I pick you for this role.' It is very common in business and government settings where leaders choose people to help them run things.
Beyond people, you can also appoint a time or a place. For example, if you and a friend decide to meet at 3:00 PM in the park, you have appointed that time and place for your meeting. It sounds a bit fancy, but it just means you have settled on a plan.
The word appoint comes from the Old French word apointier, which means 'to bring to a point' or 'to arrange.' It has deep roots in Latin, specifically from the phrase ad punctum, meaning 'to a point.'
Historically, it was used to describe putting things in order or settling a dispute. Over centuries, it evolved to mean setting a specific time or choosing a person for a task, as if you were pointing directly at them to say, 'You are the one!' It is fascinating how a word about 'points' became a word about power and organization.
You will hear appoint most often in professional contexts. We say things like 'The board decided to appoint a new CEO.' It is a formal word, so you wouldn't usually use it to say you 'appointed' your friend to go get pizza with you.
Common collocations include appoint a committee, appoint a successor, or appoint a judge. When talking about time, you might hear 'at the appointed time,' which is a very polite and slightly literary way to say 'at the time we agreed upon.'
While 'appoint' itself isn't a common idiom, it appears in phrases like at the appointed hour, which means exactly when planned. Another is well-appointed, used to describe a room or house that is furnished with everything needed, like a 'well-appointed kitchen.'
You might also hear self-appointed, which describes someone who gives themselves a job without being asked. It often carries a negative tone, like a 'self-appointed expert' who doesn't really know what they are doing.
Appoint is a regular verb. Its past tense and past participle form is appointed. The word is stressed on the second syllable: uh-POINT. In both British and American English, the IPA is /əˈpɔɪnt/.
It often follows the pattern appoint someone to a position. For example, 'They appointed her to the board.' It rhymes with words like anoint, joint, and point. Remember that it is a transitive verb, so it almost always needs an object to follow it.
Fun Fact
It shares a root with the word 'point'!
Pronunciation Guide
Sounds like 'uh-POINT'
Sounds like 'uh-POINT'
Common Errors
- Stressing the first syllable
- Pronouncing the 't' too strongly
- Confusing with 'annoy'
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to read
Requires formal tone
Formal context
Clear pronunciation
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
高级
Grammar to Know
Passive Voice
He was appointed.
Prepositions
Appoint to a role.
Participles
The appointed time.
Examples by Level
The boss will appoint a new manager.
boss = manager
Future tense
They appoint a leader.
appoint = pick
Simple present
He was appointed today.
appointed = chosen
Passive voice
She will appoint him.
appoint = name
Future tense
They appoint a team.
team = group
Simple present
The job is appointed.
appointed = fixed
Passive voice
We appoint a helper.
helper = assistant
Simple present
I appoint you.
appoint = choose
Simple present
The committee will appoint a new head.
She was appointed to the role last year.
They need to appoint a time for the meeting.
He was appointed as the captain.
The king will appoint a new advisor.
We must appoint someone to help.
She was appointed by the board.
They appointed a date for the wedding.
The president will appoint a new judge next week.
He was appointed to oversee the project.
The school board appointed her as principal.
We arrived at the appointed time.
They appointed a committee to investigate.
She was appointed to the position of director.
The mayor appointed a new police chief.
They will appoint a successor soon.
The company appointed a consultant to improve efficiency.
He is a self-appointed expert on the subject.
The room was well-appointed with antique furniture.
The judge was appointed for a life term.
They were appointed to represent the group.
She was appointed to the post of ambassador.
The board appointed him to the executive committee.
They met at the appointed hour to discuss the deal.
The governor appointed a task force to address the crisis.
She was appointed as the chief justice of the court.
The well-appointed library was filled with rare books.
He was appointed to a high-ranking position in the ministry.
The appointed representative spoke on behalf of the union.
They were appointed to serve on the advisory board.
The director was appointed by a unanimous vote.
The appointed time for the ceremony was delayed.
The monarch appointed him to the Privy Council.
She moved through the well-appointed halls of the mansion.
Fate had appointed this moment for their meeting.
He was appointed to the chair of the department.
The appointed tasks were completed with precision.
They were appointed as emissaries to the foreign court.
The committee was appointed to draft the new charter.
The appointed hour arrived with a sudden silence.
常见搭配
Idioms & Expressions
"at the appointed hour"
at the exact time planned
We arrived at the appointed hour.
formal"well-appointed"
having good equipment or furniture
The office was well-appointed.
neutral"self-appointed"
having chosen oneself for a role
He is a self-appointed judge of character.
neutral"as appointed"
according to the plan
The task was finished as appointed.
formal"the appointed one"
the person chosen for a task
He was the appointed one for the job.
neutralEasily Confused
Sounds similar
Anoint is for rituals, appoint for jobs
He was anointed king.
Both mean giving a task
Assign is for tasks, appoint for roles
I assigned him the homework.
Both mean picking
Choose is casual, appoint is formal
I chose a red pen.
Both involve selection
Nominate is for elections
I nominated her for president.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + appoint + object + as + role
They appointed him as manager.
Subject + appoint + object + to + position
She was appointed to the board.
It is the appointed time
It is the appointed time to start.
Subject + appoint + a + committee
They appointed a committee.
The newly appointed + noun
The newly appointed CEO spoke.
词族
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
相关
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
常见错误
Appoint is for official roles, not everyday choices.
You must appoint someone or something.
They sound similar but mean different things.
The past participle is the adjective form.
We don't say 'appoint for' a position.
Tips
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a king pointing a finger at a knight.
When Native Speakers Use It
In news and business meetings.
Cultural Insight
Used in formal government roles.
Grammar Shortcut
Appoint + someone + to + position.
Say It Right
Stress the second syllable.
Don't Make This Mistake
Don't use it for casual choices.
Did You Know?
It comes from the word 'point'.
Study Smart
Practice with news headlines.
Context Matters
Use it only when authority is involved.
Adjective Use
Use 'well-appointed' for rooms.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
A-POINT: You point at someone to give them a job.
Visual Association
A finger pointing at a person in a suit.
Word Web
挑战
Write three sentences using 'appoint' today.
词源
Old French
Original meaning: to bring to a point
文化背景
None
Common in political and corporate news.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Business
- appoint a director
- newly appointed
- board appointed
Government
- appoint a judge
- appoint an official
- appoint a commission
Formal Meetings
- at the appointed time
- appointed place
- as appointed
Real Estate
- well-appointed kitchen
- well-appointed home
- well-appointed room
Conversation Starters
"Who would you appoint to lead a team?"
"Have you ever been appointed to a position?"
"What makes a room well-appointed?"
"Why do we appoint judges instead of electing them?"
"Is it better to be appointed or elected?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you were appointed to a role.
Write about a well-appointed house you have seen.
Why is it important to appoint the right people?
Imagine you are a leader; who would you appoint?
常见问题
8 个问题Yes, it is used in professional settings.
No, use 'choose' instead.
Appointment.
Similar, but appoint is often for higher positions.
Yes, it means to fix a time.
Yes.
Appointed.
Yes, but it is usually negative.
自我测试
The boss will ___ a new helper.
Appoint means to choose.
What does 'appoint' mean?
It refers to choosing someone.
Appoint is a casual word.
It is formal.
Word
意思
Synonyms match.
The board appointed a manager.
They were ___ to the committee.
Past participle is needed.
What is a 'well-appointed' room?
It means well-equipped.
You can appoint a time.
Yes, to set a time.
The appointed hour arrived.
He was ___ to the chair of the department.
Correct usage.
得分： /10
Summary
Appoint is the formal way to say you have officially chosen someone for a job or set a time for an event.
- Appoint means to officially choose for a role.
- It is a formal word used in business and government.
- It also means to fix a time or place.
- The adjective form 'appointed' describes someone chosen or a time set.
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a king pointing a finger at a knight.
When Native Speakers Use It
In news and business meetings.
Cultural Insight
Used in formal government roles.
Grammar Shortcut
Appoint + someone + to + position.
例句
The community had to appoint a temporary leader while the chairperson was on leave.
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absigntude
C1To formally and publicly relinquish a position of authority or a professional responsibility, specifically as an act of moral or ethical protest. This verb implies that the departure is accompanied by a documented statement of principles or a refusal to comply with compromised standards.
accomplishment
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achievement
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adantiary
C1为了预测未来的障碍或变化而战略性地调整或修改现有计划、过程或结构。
adept
C1Highly skilled or proficient at a task that requires specific knowledge or practice. It describes a person who can perform complex actions with ease and precision.
adflexship
C1指通过灵活整合新技能，战略性地调整职业方法，以应对环境变化的过程。
adhument
C1“加强”是指为已有的事物提供支持或加强。就像建造房屋时增加额外的支撑，使其更坚固。
