as in to appoint
to appoint as one's representative he deputized a local citizen to take charge of the situation while he went for reinforcements

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Recent Examples of deputize The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that the Department of Homeland Security sent a formal request to deputize IRS criminal investigators to assist in immigration enforcement. Austin Denean, Baltimore Sun, 10 Feb. 2025 In his first week, the president declared a national border emergency; deployed 1,500 troops to the border, including a combat force; and deputized thousands more federal law enforcement officers to arrest immigrants, among other moves. Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 27 Jan. 2025 The department has also deputized employees at the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Justice to help with immigration enforcement. Ray Lewis, Baltimore Sun, 21 Feb. 2025 Formerly Texas' border czar, Banks also cited the Trump administration's deployment of additional troops to the southern border and a decision to deputize Texas National Guard soldiers as immigration officers, to help Border Patrol agents in the field. Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deputize

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“Deputize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deputize. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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