Appoint vs To choose an heir

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Appoint

FormalTop 2,000 (common)C1verb

To choose an heir

FormalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Appoint
 AppointTo choose an heir
Pronunciation🇬🇧 //əˈpɔɪnt//🇺🇸 //əˈpɔɪnt//🇬🇧 //tʊ tʃuːz æn eə//🇺🇸 //tə tʃuz ən ɛr//
MeaningTo choose someone for a job or position.To pick someone to inherit a title or property.
ExampleThe board will appoint a new CEO next month.The king decided to choose an heir from his three sons.
RegisterFormalFormal
How commonTop 2,000 (common)Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR levelC1-
Part of speechverb
Collocationsappoint a committee, appoint a representative, appoint a taskchoose an heir, designate an heir, select an heir, appoint an heir, decide on an heir
Antonymsdismiss, remove, revoke-
Common mistakesConfusing with 'appoint' vs 'assign'; appoint is for formal roles., Using 'appoint' without an accompanying object., Incorrectly conjugating 'appoint' in different tenses.Confused with 'to chose,' the past tense of choose., Using 'heir' without specifying a relation, like son or daughter., Confusing 'heir' with unrelated terms like 'air.'
Usage notesTypically used in formal contexts like hiring or assigning roles. Not suitable for informal conversations.This phrase is often used in legal or royal contexts. It can be considered formal and would be inappropriate in casual conversation.

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Appoint
To choose an heir

Frequently asked questions: Appoint vs To choose an heir

What's the difference between Appoint and To choose an heir?

Appoint: To choose someone for a job or position. To choose an heir: To pick someone to inherit a title or property.

Which is more common: Appoint and To choose an heir?

Appoint is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Appoint: The board will appoint a new CEO next month. To choose an heir: The king decided to choose an heir from his three sons.

Can I use Appoint and To choose an heir interchangeably?

Not always. Appoint and To choose an heir are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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