Appointment is a noun with several distinct meanings. It most commonly means a meeting arranged in advance, but it can also refer to an officialconnected with an authorized public or formal position job placement, the person who is appointedchosen or assigned to a position or role, or, in special legal and technicalrelating to a specialized subject or field uses, the act or result of appointing something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /əˈpɔɪntmənt/
Easy pronunciation: uh-POINT-ment (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the second syllable: POINT.
Use this pronunciation for the noun meaning a planned meeting at a specific time.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Appointment Meaning
a planned meeting at a specific time
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a meeting arranged in advance
Example: I have a dentist appointment at 3 p.m.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- date — Common substitute for a planned meeting, especially in everyday use.
- engagement — Works for an arranged meeting, though it is a bit more formal.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Appointment
Meaning 2
the act of giving someone an official job or position
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the act of putting a person into a non-elective position
Example: Her appointment as director was approved by the board.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- assignment — Can fit when the word means placing someone in a role, though it is broader than appointment.
- designation — Works in formal contexts for naming someone to a position.
- naming — A looser synonym that can fit the act of choosing someone for a role.
Meaning 3
the person chosen for an official job
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a person who is appointed to a job or position
Example: The new appointment will start next month.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- appointee — Direct synonym for a person who has been appointed.
Meaning 4
the furniture and equipment in a place
Part of speech: noun
Definition: (usually in the plural) furnishings and equipment, especially for a ship or hotel
Example: The hotel has elegant appointments in every room.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- fitting — A related term for equipment or fixtures, though not always a perfect one-to-one match.
Meaning 5
the official job or position itself
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the job to which you are (or hope to be) appointed
Example: She is seeking an appointment in the foreign service.
Meaning 6
a legal act of directing property or assets to someone
Part of speech: noun
Definition: (law) the act of disposing of property by virtue of the power of appointment
Example: The trust allowed the property to pass by appointment.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Appointment Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- date
- engagement
the act of putting a person into a non-elective position
- assignment
- designation
- naming
a person who is appointed to a job or position
- appointee
(usually in the plural) furnishings and equipment, especially for a ship or hotel
- fitting
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using appointment to mean any meeting, without the idea that it was arranged beforehand.
- Confusing appointment with appointee: an appointment is the position or meeting, while an appointee is the person.
- Using appointments for furniture in ordinary everyday English; this meaning is usually formal or technical.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main meaning of appointment?
The most common meaning is a meeting arranged in advance, such as a doctor’s appointment or a job interview.
What are the best synonyms for appointment?
For the common meeting sense, date and engagement are the closest synonyms. For other senses, words like appointee, designation, or assignment may fit depending on the context.
Is appointment the same as appointee?
No. An appointment is usually a meeting or an official placement, while an appointee is the person who has been appointed.
Can appointment mean a job?
Yes. It can refer to the job or position someone is appointed to, especially in formal or official contexts.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
