nomination

noun

nom·​i·​na·​tion ˌnä-mə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce nomination (audio)
Synonyms of nominationnext
1
: the act, process, or an instance of nominating
2
: the state of being nominated

Examples of nomination in a Sentence

We expect him to get the Democratic nomination. Membership is by nomination only. The novel earned a nomination for the National Book Award. The film received five Academy Award nominations. The nominations for the Academy Awards have been announced.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The film ultimately received generally favorable reviews, two Oscar nominations and was a box office success. — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026 Hong is the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, according to recent polls. — Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 For Newsom, every confrontation with the president offers another opportunity to sharpen his national profile ahead of what many Democrats expect to be a wide-open race for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination. — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2026 Judiciary committee Republicans backed the nomination, but Tuesday’s vote highlights growing cracks on DOJ’s direction. — Jeremy Roebuck, Washington Post, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nomination

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nomination was in the 15th century

Rhymes for nomination

See All Rhymes for nomination

Browse Nearby Words

nominatim
nomination
nominative
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nomination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nomination. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

nomination

noun
nom·​i·​na·​tion ˌnäm-ə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce nomination (audio)
1
: the act, process, or an instance of nominating
2
: the state of being nominated

More from Merriam-Webster on nomination

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for nomination

Nglish: Translation of nomination for Spanish Speakers

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