These two words come from the same root but refer to different people in the same process. Mixing them up can create real confusion—especially in formal writing, award ceremonies, or job applications.
The short answer: A nominator is the person who nominates someone. A nominee is the person who gets nominated.
The Roles, Explained
When someone is put forward for an award, position, or honor, two people are involved:
- The nominator takes action. This person submits the nomination, writes the supporting letter, or formally puts someone’s name forward.
- The nominee receives the nomination. This person is being considered for the award, role, or recognition.
Think of it this way: the nominator does the nominating; the nominee is the result of that act.
Nominator vs. Nominee Examples in Context
Nominator:
- Each nominator must submit a written statement explaining why their candidate deserves the award.
- The nominator was asked to provide two references along with the nomination form.
- Only current members of the committee are eligible to serve as a nominator.
Nominee:
- The nominees for Best Director were announced last Tuesday.
- Each nominee will be contacted by email before the ceremony.
- She was a nominee for the position but withdrew her name before the vote.
Notice that nominators act behind the scenes. Nominees are usually the ones in the spotlight.
Why People Confuse Them
Both words share the Latin root nominare, meaning “to name.” The suffixes are what separate them:
- -or (or -er) typically marks the person performing an action — nominator, editor, director
- -ee typically marks the person on the receiving end of an action — nominee, employee, attendee
This pattern is consistent across English. An employer employs; an employee is employed. A nominator nominates; a nominee is nominated.
If you remember that -ee usually signals the person something is happening to, you’ll rarely mix these up.
A Note on “Nominee” vs. “Candidate”
These words are close but not identical.
A nominee has been formally put forward through a nomination process—someone else named them.
A candidate may have nominated themselves, applied directly, or simply be under consideration. Not every candidate is a nominee, and not every nominee calls themselves a candidate.
In political contexts, the words sometimes overlap. A presidential nominee is the person a party has officially nominated, while candidate can refer more broadly to anyone running.
Quick Reference about Nominator vs. Nominee
| Word | Role | Example |
| Nominator | The person who nominates | The nominator submitted the form by Friday. |
| Nominee | The person who is nominated | The nominee accepted the honor graciously. |
One More Thing: “Nomination”
The act itself is a nomination—not a “nominating” or a “nominee-ation.” All three words are part of the same family:
- The nominator submitted a nomination for the nominee.
That sentence uses all three correctly in one go.
The practical takeaway: If you’re writing about someone who submitted a name for consideration, use nominator. If you’re writing about the person whose name was submitted, use nominee. The -or acts; the -ee receives.
Read also:
Tacet or Tacit: Two Different Words, Not Two Spellings
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Rapport or Repore: Which One Is Correct?
It’s Afini, I am the author at Vocab press, a website focused on animal facts with clear visuals and simple guides. I research and share accurate, easy-to-understand information for readers of all ages. My goal is to make learning about animals fun, trustworthy, and simple. I follow fact-based writing and keep content updated, helpful, and people-first. Thank you for reading.
