Word
delegate
Meanings
to give a task or responsibility to someone else, usually with authority to act
a person chosen to represent a group at a meeting, conference, or formal event
Definition
To delegate is to give someone else the authority and responsibility to do a task for you.
To delegate means to assign a task or decision to another person, usually because they are better placed to handle it or because you want to focus on higher priorities. It involves giving clear responsibility and, often, the authority needed to complete the work. As a noun, a delegate is a person chosen to represent a group at a meeting or conference.
Examples
- I delegate routine emails to my assistant so I can concentrate on strategy.
- She learned to delegate effectively once her team had clearer roles and timelines.
- They decided to delegate the site inspection to a colleague who lived nearby.
- Our director will delegate final approval to the department heads during the peak season.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse delegate with deliver or dedicate, but delegate means to assign a task or authority to someone else.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More verbs
- analyze To examine something carefully in order to understand it or explain it.
- scrutinize To scrutinize something is to examine it very carefully and in detail.
- affect To affect something is to influence it or cause it to change.
- allude To allude means to mention or suggest something indirectly without saying it clearly.
- elude To elude someone or something is to avoid being caught, understood, or remembered.