What does "appointment" mean?
The act of appointing a person to hold an office or to have a position of trust
Appointment
/əˈpɔɪnt.mɛnt/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of appointing a person to hold an office or to have a position of trust
- Grammar: appointment is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: designation, engagement, a book, accession.
- Useful contrasts: gubernatorial election, gubernatorial race, mayoral election.
- Usage evidence: I canceled my appointment because of urgent business.
How to use "appointment"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "appointment" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "appointment" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "appointment" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "appointment" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "appointment" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "designation" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "appointment", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of appointing a person to hold an office or to have a position of trust
"His appointment as treasurer was deemed suitable."
- 2 (law) the act of disposing of property by virtue of the power of appointment wordnet
- 3 The state of being appointed to a service or office; an office to which one is appointed
"the appointment of treasurer"
- 4 the act of putting a person into a non-elective position wordnet
- 5 Stipulation; agreement; the act of fixing by mutual agreement.
Show 11 more definitions
- 6 the job to which you are (or hope to be) appointed wordnet
- 7 An arrangement between people to meet; an engagement.
"They made an appointment to meet at six."
- 8 (usually in the plural) furnishings and equipment (especially for a ship or hotel) wordnet
- 9 Decree; direction; established order or constitution.
"to submit to the divine appointments"
- 10 a meeting arranged in advance wordnet
- 11 The exercise of the power of designating (under a power of appointment) a person to enjoy an estate or other specific property; also, the instrument by which the designation is made.
- 12 a person who is appointed to a job or position wordnet
- 13 The assignment of a person by an official to perform a duty, such as a presidential appointment of a judge to a court.
- 14 Equipment, furniture. in-plural
"[…] the house had been inhabited for years by his father, and in many of its appointments was old-fashioned and grim […]"
- 15 An honorary part or exercise, as an oration, etc., at a public exhibition of a college. US
"to have an appointment"
- 16 The allowance paid to a public officer. obsolete
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
gubernatorial electiongubernatorial racemayoral electionmayoral elections
Example
"I canceled my appointment because of urgent business."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "appointment"?
Common synonyms include: designation, engagement, a book, accession, admission, allocation.
How do you use "appointment" in a sentence?
I canceled my appointment because of urgent business.
How do you pronounce "appointment"?
Pronounced /əˈpɔɪnt.mɛnt/.
Etymology
From Middle English appoyntement, apoyntement, from Old French appointement, equivalent to appoint + -ment.