assign

verb as·sign \ ə-ˈsīn \

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: assign in a Sentence

Definition of assign

assigned; assigning; assigns

transitive verb

1 : to transfer (property) to another especially in trust or for the benefit of creditors

2 a : to appoint to a post or duty

assigned them to light duty

assigned me two clerks

b : to appoint as a duty or task

assigns 20 pages for homework

3 : to fix or specify in correspondence or relationship : select, designate

assign counsel to the defendant

assign a value to the variable

Though assigned male at birth, she appears most comfortable and in her element wearing a skirt and high-heeled sandals when riding a big-wheel or playing with a tea set.
—Will Dean

4 a : to ascribe as a motive, reason, or cause especially after deliberation

b : to consider to belong to a specified period of time

Archaeologists assign the weapon to the eleventh century.

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assignability

play \-ˌsī-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

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assignable

play \-ˈsī-nə-bəl\ adjective

—

assigner

play \ə-ˈsī-nər\ or assignor play \ˌa-sə-ˈnȯr, ˌa-ˌsī-, ə-ˌsī-\ noun

See assign defined for English-language learners

See assign defined for kids

Examples of assign in a Sentence

The teacher assigned us 50 math problems for homework!
She was assigned to the embassy in India.
The new teacher was assigned to the science laboratory.
The plane landed at its assigned gate.

Recent Examples of assign from the Web

So of the 791 officers assigned to patrol in May, an average of 452 were available each day.

— ian duncan, baltimoresun.com, "As many as 42 percent of Baltimore police officers on patrol last month were working overtime," 7 June 2018
Fenner is now a lieutenant assigned to the South Side's Deering District.

— hal dardick, chicagotribune.com, "Police superintendent's wife files complaint with department over alleged cheating on exam," 7 June 2018
Commanders also told reporters: ▪Staff assigned to the detention center of 40 captives, now held in three prison buildings, had risen to 1,800 and would likely rise again to 2,200.

— carol rosenberg, miamiherald, "Gitmo commanders make pitch for new prison with hospice-care wing for ex-CIA captives," 6 June 2018
The slot value for the signing bonus assigned to the fifth pick is $5,946,400.

— david furones, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Heritage-Delray, Florida Gators infielder Jonathan India drafted fifth by Reds," 5 June 2018
Or rather, the reason is that words have meanings arbitrarily assigned to them, according to a vast social contract co-signed by all its speakers at any given moment in history.

— josephine livingstone, The New Republic, "What’s So Bad About the C-Word?," 5 June 2018
There are about 28,000 American troops and civilian military personnel assigned to U.S. Forces Korea, although the number fluctuates during military exercises and when a new unit moves in to relieve another.

— tom vanden brook, USA TODAY, "Pentagon bases about 28,000 U.S. troops in South Korea," 5 June 2018
The Eastern District of Missouri will receive four additional assistant U.S. attorney positions assigned to violent crime and one additional position for civil enforcement.

— matt campbell, kansascity, "Missouri and Kansas to get more federal prosecutors to combat violent crime," 4 June 2018
State Police assigned to Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s office now say surveillance video from the neighborhood indicated the vehicle that struck Desir was an older model, blue or black, Chrysler 300.

— john r. ellement, BostonGlobe.com, "Pictures of car sought in fatal Boston hit and run released," 4 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'assign.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of assign

Middle English, from Anglo-French assigner, from Latin assignare, from ad- + signare to mark, from signum mark, sign

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

assign Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of assign

ascribe, attribute, assign, impute, credit mean to lay something to the account of a person or thing. ascribe suggests an inferring or conjecturing of cause, quality, authorship.

- forged paintings formerly ascribed to masters

attribute suggests less tentativeness than ascribe, less definiteness than assign.

- attributed to Rembrandt but possibly done by an associate

assign implies ascribing with certainty or after deliberation.

- assigned the bones to the Cretaceous period

impute suggests ascribing something that brings discredit by way of accusation or blame.

- tried to impute sinister motives to my actions

credit implies ascribing a thing or especially an action to a person or other thing as its agent, source, or explanation.

- credited his teammates for his success

assign

noun

Definition of assign

: assignee 3

heirs and assigns

Recent Examples of assign from the Web

IBT Media and its affiliates, successors, assigns, employees, agents, directors, officers and shareholders do not undertake or assume any duty to monitor our site for inappropriate or unlawful content.

— Newsweek, "Terms of Service," 14 Mar. 2018
Schools that are oversubscribed assign seats by lottery.

— kate taylor, New York Times, "City Announces Plan to Diversify Lower Manhattan Schools," 26 Oct. 2017

Origin and Etymology of assign

see ¹assign

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

ASSIGN Defined for English Language Learners

assign

verb

Definition of assign for English Language Learners

: to give someone a particular job or duty : to require someone to do a particular task
: to send (someone) to a particular group or place as part of a job
: to give out something : to provide someone with something

ASSIGN Defined for Kids

assign

verb as·sign \ ə-ˈsīn \

Definition of assign for Students

assigned; assigning

1 : to give out as a job or responsibility

Our teacher assigned homework in math.

2 : to give out to : provide

Each student is assigned a locker.

3 : to give a particular quality, value, or identity to

Assign a number to each picture.

Law Dictionary

assign

transitive verb as·sign \ ə-ˈsīn \

legal Definition of assign

1 : to transfer (property or rights) to another

the general practice by inventors of assigning patent rights
—J. K. Owens

2 : to appoint to a post or duty

assigned to represent the defendant

3 : to fix or specify in relationship or correspondence

a party may assign as error…a failure to give an instruction, if that party properly requested it
—Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 51

—

assignability

play \ə-ˌsī-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

—

assignable

play \ə-ˈsī-nə-bəl\ adjective

—

assignor

play \ə-ˈsī-nər\ noun

assign

noun

legal Definition of assign

: assignee

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assign

Definition of assign

assignability

assignable

assigner

Examples of assign in a Sentence

Recent Examples of assign from the Web

Origin and Etymology of assign

assign Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

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Synonym Discussion of assign

assign

Definition of assign

Recent Examples of assign from the Web

Origin and Etymology of assign

ASSIGN Defined for English Language Learners

assign

Definition of assign for English Language Learners

ASSIGN Defined for Kids

assign

Definition of assign for Students

Law Dictionary

assign

legal Definition of assign

assignability

assignable

assignor

assign

legal Definition of assign

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