nomination
Americannoun
-
nominations
plural
-
an act or instance of nominating, especially to office.
The floor is open for nomination of candidates for the presidency.
-
the state of being nominated.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of nomination
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin nōminātiōn- (stem of nōminātiō ) a naming, nomination. See nominate, -ion
Explanation
The first step in the process of electing a candidate for office or giving someone an award is nomination. When someone is officially recommended as a contender, that's their nomination. Your nomination for Best Animated Film in a film festival means that you're one of the directors who will be up for the award. A nomination is a huge honor in itself, because it means you've been chosen to be on a short list of possible winners. During presidential elections, major party nominations are usually made after a primary election — the party's nomination is its official endorsement of a candidate. The Latin root, nominationem, means "a naming."
Vocabulary lists containing nomination
Election Lingo
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Academy Awards, List 1
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Citizenship (Civics) - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Duncan Sheik, who earned a Grammy nomination for his ubiquitous 1990s hit “Barely Breathing” and won a Tony Award for composing the music for “Spring Awakening,” died Thursday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
Schroyer's nomination did not manage to make it to a full Senate vote and had stalled in the Senate's Homeland Security committee.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
The White House withdrew his nomination on Thursday in a short memo, which did not explain the decision.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
And with Fielder as the film’s brainchild, Holmes as its complex subject, and a three-hour runtime, even a nomination would be exactly the kind of genre-and-expectation-defying push the Oscars is seeking in an uncertain future.
From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026
The nomination is tucked inside my jacket pocket.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
Entering the evening with 25 nominations, “The Pitt” and its star Noah Wyle were favored to take home the top prizes in their categories, and they did.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026
The seven-episode drama was considered a front-runner in the category, earning 13 nominations as well as critical acclaim and impressive ratings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
Here are the nominations for the main ceremony in full.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
The US fashion designer, known as the "Sultan of Sequins" for his sparkling creations, won a Tony Award, nine Emmys and received three Oscar nominations during his career.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
In retaliation, Conkling tried to stop Garfield's many other nominations from getting necessary Senate approval.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
