What does "delegation" mean?
An act of delegating.
Delegation
noun
noun ·4 syllables ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An act of delegating.
- Grammar: delegation is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: commission, accession, agency, agency relationships.
- Useful contrasts: bossing, centralism, centralization.
- Usage evidence: It was the first delegation that the new country had ever received.
How to use "delegation"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "delegation" 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 "delegation" 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 "delegation" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "delegation" 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 "delegation" 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 "commission" 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 "delegation", 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 An act of delegating. countable, uncountable
"Decentralisation of the railways was provided for by the establishment of Area Boards for each Region, which began to function on January 1, 1955, and by the extended delegation of powers to the Boards and their General Managers; […]."
- 2 authorizing subordinates to make certain decisions wordnet
- 3 A group of delegates. countable, uncountable
"the American delegation"
- 4 a group of representatives or delegates wordnet
- 5 A method-dispatching technique describing the lookup and inheritance rules for self-referential calls. countable, uncountable
Show 1 more definition
- 6 The act whereby or constellation in which the performance of an obligation (owed to an obligee, presuming its validity; irrespective of the obligation as the target of the delegation, rarely called delegatary) is assigned by its debtor (delegator, obligor) to and towards another party (delegatee, delegate) countable, uncountable
"The mere delegation of a performance imposes no duty on the delegate to perform. If the delegate performs the duty, the duty is discharged. If the delegate does not perform the duty, the duty is not discharged, but any claim of the obligee for breach is against the delegating party and not against the delegate."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"It was the first delegation that the new country had ever received."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "delegation"?
Common synonyms include: commission, accession, agency, agency relationships, agent relationship, agentship.
How do you use "delegation" in a sentence?
It was the first delegation that the new country had ever received.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin dēlēgātiō, dēlēgātiōnis, from dēlēgō: compare French délégation.