deputed

Appointed as substitute

Deputed is the past tense of depute, meaning to appoint someone as a representative or delegate authority to them.

A person who is deputed to do something has been officially assigned that responsibility: She was deputed to handle negotiations with the union.

The word appears more often in British and Indian English than American.

appointed

designated

Officially selected beforehand

nominatedFormally proposed for selection
assignedGiven as duty
commissionedFormally assigned a task

authorized · empowered · mandated · delegated · entrusted · installed · invested · endorsed · sanctioned · accredited

delegate

envoy

Accredited diplomatic representative

emissaryAgent sent abroad
representativeOne who acts for another
ambassadorOfficial foreign representative

proxy · agent · commissioner · liaison · intermediary · negotiator · plenipotentiary · legate · attaché · consul

substitute

stand-in

Temporary human placeholder

actingTemporarily holding position
interimProvisional in-between phase
temporaryLimited in duration

fill-in · backup · alternate · locum · relief · replacement · reserve · understudy · surrogate · pinch-hitter

Opposites

source of authority

deputedself-appointed

Claiming authority unbidden

self-proclaimed · self-elected · self-styled · usurping · unofficial

authorization status

deputedunauthorized

Not officially permitted

unsanctioned · unappointed · unaccredited · unassigned · unofficial

Phrases

deputy sheriffSheriff's subordinate officer
deputy mayorSecond-ranking city official
deputy prime ministerGovernment's second-ranking leader
deputy marshalSecond-ranking law officer
deputy directorOrganization's number two
deputy chiefSecond-ranking organizational head

Family

deputy, deputation, deputize, depute, deputizing, deputized, deputing, deputizes, deputations

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G