appointing describes the act of assigning a role or position to someone, or the act of naming someone to a position of responsibility. In context, it can also refer to the process of selecting or designating someone for a duty or office. The term emphasizes official designation and often carries formal or ceremonial connotations, depending on the setting.
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- US: rhoticity tends to be stronger; pronounce /əˈpoɪn.tɪŋ/ with a clear /r/ none; focus on the diphthong /ɔɪ/ as a single glide. - UK: crisper vowel quality; final /t/ is enunciated; subtler rhoticity, may have a non-rhotic tendency; avoid adding an extra r-sound after /ə/. - AU: similar to UK but often broader vowels; watch for a slightly more open /ɔɪ/ and a broader /ɪŋ/; maintain the two-syllable rhythm. IPA reminders: US /əˈpoɪn.tɪŋ/, UK /əˈpɔɪn.tɪŋ/, AU /əˈpɔɪn.tɪŋ/.
"The committee is appointing a new chairperson to oversee the project."
"After the review, they are appointing him to lead the department."
"The governor is appointing several judges this month."
"She was hesitant about accepting the appointment until she confirmed the terms."
The word appointing derives from Old French apostaner/appointer, from late Latin appoinare, formed from ad- ‘toward’ + ponere ‘to put, place’, signifying the act of placing someone in a position. The modern English noun appoint can be traced to the 14th century, with the verb sense “to assign to an office or trust” emerging in Middle English via Old French appointer. The participle -ing formAppointment? The root ideas involve designation and placement. Over time, appointment took on bureaucratic and ceremonial nuance, especially in government or organizational contexts. First known uses in English literature appear in legal and administrative texts, evolving from generic “to place” to the specific act of official designation. In contemporary usage, appointing often collocates with formal roles (chair, judge, officer), while also appearing in corporate and ceremonial language. As with many legalistic terms, the prefix ad- plus ponere underscores forward action and intentional placement. The semantic broadening includes “appointing someone” meaning the authorization process, not just the moment of naming, reflecting a compound concept of delegation, responsibility, and formal acknowledgment. The term remains common across British and American English, with subtle register differences depending on context (legal, governmental, or organizational).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "appointing" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "appointing" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "appointing"
-ing sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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You say ə-POYN-ting, with primary stress on the second syllable. The first syllable uses a schwa, and the second features a long “oy” /ɔɪ/ diphthong, followed by a light ‘t’ and a soft ‘ing’ ending /ɪŋ/. In IPA: US/UK/AU: əˈpɔɪn.tɪŋ. Keep your tongue high-mid for the /ɔɪ/ glide, and avoid turning the /t/ into a quick d- or a strong release in fluent speech.
Common errors include misplacing the primary stress (saying /ˈæpɔɪn.tɪŋ/ or /əˈæpɔɪn/), overpronouncing the /t/ as a hard release in rapid speech, or blending the /p/ too tightly with the following /ɔɪ/ (producing a run-tap mix). Correct by maintaining clear two-syllable rhythm: ə-POYNT-ing; ensure you articulate the /ɔɪ/ as a single glide and keep /t/ a crisp, not a flap. Practice in slow tempo, then speed up while maintaining the diphthong integrity.
In US English, /əˈpoɪn.tɪŋ/ with rhotic r-like influence if followed by an /r/. UK English tends to be crisper with a slightly tighter /ɔɪ/ and less rhotic influence; AU English is similar to UK but with broader vowel qualities in some regions. The main differences lie in vowel quality and final consonant clarity; ensure the /t/ remains a crisp stop in all accents, and maintain the /ɪŋ/ ending without nasalization changes.
Two main challenges: the /ɔɪ/ diphthong in the second syllable and the sequence of /n/ plus /t/ quickly before /ɪŋ/. The transition from the glide /ɔɪ/ to the following /n/ and /t/ can blur when spoken fast. T-spot timing matters: ensure a clean release of /t/ and a clear boundary into /ɪŋ/. Also keep stress on /poɪn/ to preserve the natural rhythm of the word.
A distinctive feature is the stressed diphthong /ɔɪ/ in the second syllable before the /n/. When people misplace stress, the word sounds like “ap-POINT-ing” with emphasis on the first syllable. The correct pattern is /əˈpoɪn.tɪŋ/, so focus on releasing the /ɔɪ/ clearly and keeping the second syllable lighter than the stressed one, preventing a wobbly or swallowed /t/.
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