A nomination is the act of officially suggesting someone for a position, award, or honor. When your class nominates someone for student council president, you're putting their name forward as a candidate. When a movie receives an Oscar nomination, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has chosen it as one of the best films of the year, even if it doesn't ultimately win.

The person who makes the suggestion is called the nominator, and the person being suggested is the nominee. At the national level, political parties hold conventions to nominate their candidates for president. A nomination doesn't guarantee you'll win. It means you're in the running, and you've been recognized as worthy of consideration.

Being nominated often means someone has noticed your work or achievements. When teachers nominate students for academic awards, they're saying, “This person deserves recognition.” A nomination can be a reward in itself. When people say, “It's an honor just to be nominated,” they mean that being selected as a serious contender, regardless of the final outcome, is already meaningful recognition of their efforts and talent.