Delegate: meaning, definitions and examples

Use this term when referring to a person who has been chosen or elected to represent a group, especially in a conference, meeting, or political assembly.

• She was chosen as a delegate to the international conference.
• Each delegate will have the chance to speak during the meeting.

Appropriate in situations where a person is acting on behalf of another person or a group in a broad sense, including business, political, or informal contexts.

• She works as a sales representative for a major corporation.
• A representative from the community attended the town hall meeting.

Suitable for referring to a high-ranking official who represents their country in a foreign country, often dealing with diplomatic relations and governmental issues.

• The ambassador hosted a dinner for international dignitaries.
• He was appointed as the new ambassador to France.

Best used when referring to someone who speaks on behalf of an organization, company, or group, often in dealing with media or public announcements.

• The company's spokesperson addressed the recent controversy.
• A spokesperson for the police department gave a statement to the press.

Used when you give someone the authority to carry out a specific task or responsibility on your behalf.

• The manager chose to delegate the project oversight to her most experienced team member

Commonly used when designating a specific person or group to take on a specific task.

• The teacher will assign homework to the students every week

Appropriate in situations where you are distributing resources, tasks, or responsibilities among multiple people or entities.

• The committee needs to allocate the budget among different departments

Used when you place something or someone under the care of another person, implying trust.

• He decided to entrust his valuables to a friend while he was traveling