Synonyms of delegation
1
: the act of empowering to act for another
the delegation of responsibilities
2
: a group of persons chosen to represent others
the state's congressional delegation

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What Is a delegation?

The task of a delegation—each member of which can be called a delegate—is to represent a larger group, often at a conference. Thus, a delegation of nondoctors to a medical convention may want to make sure the rights and needs of patients aren't ignored, just as a delegation of laypeople may attend a religious conference to express the concerns of other laypeople.

Examples of delegation in a Sentence

He's been chosen to lead the delegation to the conference. a delegation from the local scout troop is being sent to the national jamboree
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Finally, the delegation co-chairs should host a weekly coffee for Illinoisans visiting Washington with brief opening remarks and opportunities for a Q&A and photos. — John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 That strike prevented the landing of an Iranian flight carrying a Houthi delegation returning from the funeral of Iran’s supreme leader, who had been killed in the opening strikes of the war in February. — ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026 Video showed the delegation, including representatives of France, Belgium and Poland, being assaulted by masked figures. — Gerry Shih, Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2026 My team often relies on context compaction and sub-agent delegation to optimize the use of the context window of their AI tools. — Klaudia Zaika, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for delegation

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French delegacion "transmission, act of delegating," borrowed from Late Latin dēlēgātiōn-, dēlēgātiō "mandate, authority," going back to Latin, "assignment to a third party of the interest in or liability for a debt," from dēlēgāre "to assign (someone to a task), appoint, put in charge (of), entrust, transfer ownership (to)" + -tiōn-, tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at delegate entry 2

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of delegation was in 1555

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Cite this Entry

“Delegation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delegation. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

delegation

noun
1
: the act of delegating power or authority to another
2
: one or more persons chosen to represent others

Legal Definition

delegation

noun
1
: the act of delegating
2
: a group of persons chosen to represent others
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