designate

To officially choose someone for a particular job or duty.

• They designated Maria as team leader.
• The board will designate a successor next month.
• He was designated to represent the school.

How to use it: designate someone as something (They designated him as their representative.); designate someone to do something (She was designated to lead the investigation.); designate someone for something (The committee designated him for the post.)

Similar words: appoint, select, nominate

Common phrases: designate someone as, designate someone to, designate a successor

To officially choose a place or thing for a particular purpose or give it a particular status.

• They designated this area for parking.
• The forest was designated as a protected site.
• Which room has been designated for meetings?

How to use it: designate something as something (The council designated the building as a historic monument.); designate something for something (They designated the courtyard for outdoor events.)

Similar words: set aside, allocate

Common phrases: designate an area, designate something as, designate something for

To show or identify something using a mark, sign, name, or description.

• Red lines designate the boundaries.
• Each room is designated by a number.
• The arrow designates the main entrance.

How to use it: designate something by something (The map designates each route by a different colour.)

Similar words: indicate, identify, mark

Common phrases: designate a boundary, designate something by, designate a point

Chosen for an official job but not yet working in it.

• The president designate met the staff.
• Our ambassador designate will arrive next week.
• The director designate attended the meeting as an observer.

How to use it: role title + designate (The ambassador designate is preparing to move abroad.)

Similar words: incoming

Opposites: outgoing

Common phrases: president designate, ambassador designate, director designate