naming 1 of 2

noun

as in designation

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naming

2 of 2

verb

present participle of name
1
as in calling
to give a name to decided to name her new puppy "Bubbles"

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2
as in specifying
to make reference to or speak about briefly but specifically I don't want to name anyone in particular, but someone in this room fiddled with my car's radio

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3
as in nominating
to pick (someone) by one's authority for a specific position or duty was named the provost of the university

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4
as in selecting
to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities you don't like my offer? Just name your price

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5
as in setting
to decide upon (the time or date for an event) usually from a position of authority you name the date and I'll make sure I'm there

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6
as in choosing
to come to a judgment about after discussion or consideration they finally named a date for the wedding

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of naming
Noun
There’s a rich sense of history here, too, from the naming of all four stands after club legends and former owner Sir Jack Hayward to the statue of England great Billy Wright that sits outside the main entrance on Waterloo Road. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026 The announcement of the senior appointments, purportedly made by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Monday, followed the naming of a new national security chief, Mohsen Rezaie, a day earlier. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 Agents established naming conventions, left work assignments and encoded scripts that another agent could retrieve. — Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Order is restored to the kingdom through what is known as the Rumpelstiltskin effect, a term used by psychologists to describe the naming of something in order to create an illusion of understanding it. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026 The team and Government Employees Health Association started a partnership two years earlier and later included naming rights. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026 SoFi has a sports sponsorship portfolio that includes the NFL’s richest naming-rights deal, the NBA, golf and a number of prominent athletes. — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 30 July 2026 And that commitment isn’t just illustrated in this naming rights deal; at the time of the original deal, in June 2024, TSE agreed to a 20-year non-relocation agreement. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2026 The practice field naming rights proved to be the last straw in what was already a fraught relationship with USC. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Verb
Parents are naming guardians for their children in case they are detained or deported, while others have stopped working, shopping or even leaving home, relying instead on neighbors and churches. — Maria Santana, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026 Ask for the specific reasons in writing, specifically naming the adverse action notice requirement. — Terdawn Deboe, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026 His next of kin have been notified and are being supported by officers, police told NBC News, without naming Arday. — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2026 The Metropolitan Police said only that a 41-year-old man was pronounced dead in Battersea, without naming the man, in accordance with its policy. — Sylvia Hui, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026 The News is not naming the 13-year-old victim because the shooter remains at large. — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026 The teen, who the Orlando Sentinel isn’t naming because he has not been charged as an adult, was arrested for felony battery after speaking with deputies Tuesday, an OCSO spokesperson said in a news release. — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026 That sentiment was consistent across political affiliation, with 45% of Republicans, 44% of Democrats and 42% of independents naming health insurance as their top concern, according to the Commonwealth Fund survey of more than 25,000 adults. — Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026 San Jose’s already dealing with the challenge of naming a park after someone whose actions may not have been worthy of that honor. — Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naming
  1. designation
  2. calling
  3. specifying
  4. nominating
  5. selecting
  6. setting
  7. choosing
  8. nomination
Noun
  • The designation represents a disappointing conclusion to what had been an opportunity for Allard to work his way back toward the majors.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • On the team injury report, Sabally has been listed as in concussion protocol for nearly seven weeks, but her designation was changed Wednesday to head injury.
    — Annie Costabile, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of designation
Verb
  • Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Monterey County Sheriff's Office by calling 831-755-3700.
    — Tim Fang, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Researchers followed 94 participants using phones that recorded Bluetooth proximity and calling patterns.
    — Nicole M. Bennett, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of calling
Verb
  • After years of fraught negotiations between the states failed to yield a deal, federal authorities have stepped in and are expected to publish a plan in the coming days specifying the exact reductions required of states through 2028.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Without specifying which operators, Trost added platforms within the space also have a responsibility in following regulation, rather than working around it.
    — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of specifying
Verb
  • Julian Epstein wrote Democrats have lost their moral authority by nominating El-Sayed.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Brazil's government in a statement responded by accusing the United States of not following international law in nominating its ambassador to Brazil.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of nominating
Verb
  • There’s also a guest each episode selecting the songs; past curators include longtime Dead publicist Dennis McNally, Phil Lesh’s sons Grahame and Brian Lesh, and others (including this writer).
    — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Kurz said that the field team put careful consideration into selecting each site.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of selecting
Verb
  • Netflix revealed its latest YA acquisition, Sunshine Girls, a coming-of-age series from Brat TV, today, setting the premiere window for December 2026.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The aircraft carrier's movements come amid reports of mental health and supply issues aboard the USS Lincoln, whose long deployment to the Middle East in support of the Iran war includes a record-setting time at sea of more than 200 days.
    — Nicholas Kerr, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of setting
Verb
  • Iran rejected how ships were choosing to transit through the Strait of Hormuz and began targeting vessels, and the US responded by launching intensive strikes against Iranian targets.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • How spontaneous is the crew in choosing to, say, send you off on a commuter train in Mumbai?
    — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of choosing
Noun
  • Democratic socialist Francesca Hong lost in a landslide to David Crowley and the other moderate candidates for the nomination.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile in Michigan last week, prediction markets showed El-Sayed with greater than 90% odds to win the Democratic nomination for Senate before polls closed, despite his very narrow victory.
    — Garrett Downs,Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of nomination

Browse Nearby Words

names
naming
nannies
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Cite this Entry

“Naming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naming. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of naming for Spanish Speakers

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