assign

1 of 2

verb

as·​sign ə-ˈsīn 

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.

assignability

ə-ˌsī-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

assignable

ə-ˈsī-nə-bəl 

adjective

assigner

ə-ˈsī-nər 

noun

or assignor

ˌa-sə-ˈnȯr 

ˌa-ˌsī-,

ə-ˌsī-

assign

2 of 2

noun

: assignee sense 3

heirs and assigns

Synonyms

Verb

• charge
• commission
• entrust
• intrust
• task
• trust

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

Examples of assign in a Sentence

Verb

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 on the Web

Verb

People may check their breasts for possible signs of breast cancer, as breast cancer accounts for 30% of new cancers among people assigned female at birth. —Korin Miller, Health, 23 Sep. 2023

The principal product designer lived within a 25-minute bike ride from the company’s Brooklyn office but instead was required to report to one in Los Angeles, where Rosenthal’s department was assigned. —Danielle Abril, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023

Bennett was joined by Judge Elizabeth E. Foote, a U.S. District Court judge and Obama appointee who had been specially assigned to the case. —Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023

But once he was assigned a new public defender in July, Taveras immediately recanted his testimony and gave a statement implicating Trump and his two co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, in efforts to delete the footage. —Tori Otten, The New Republic, 20 Sep. 2023

The camera operators are poised to jump into action and follow the team to whom they are assigned. —Michael Schneider, Variety, 20 Sep. 2023

They and other crews had been assigned to keep the fire from spreading up the mountainside. —Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 19 Sep. 2023

Homework assigned at the start of the school year can be turned in any time before Oct. 5 and still receive full credit. —oregonlive, 17 Sep. 2023

The website then assigned a weight to each factor and calculated each score to determine its rank. —Tandra Smith | [e-mail], al, 16 Sep. 2023

Noun

Thirty surveyors from the city will go out in teams of two to visually inspect properties and assign grades. —Zachary Smith, cleveland, 28 Oct. 2022

Observers would report enemy troop movements to headquarters units, which would in turn assign targets to friendly artillery. —Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 7 July 2022

The intent is to strip Hong Kongers of their own agency and assign blame to just a few select individuals, brushing aside the many legitimate grievances of city residents in favor of a more simplistic tale. —Timothy McLaughlin, The Atlantic, 22 June 2022

Rather than point fingers or assign blame, be proactive about asking for and establishing expectations and deadlines on team objectives. —Amy Blaschka, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2021

In the shooting’s aftermath, Lewis recalls watching as the country’s anger spilled over, with the desire to point fingers and assign blame. —Lisette Voytko, Forbes, 7 July 2021

So are training initiatives to be better listeners, how to search out and benefit from diverse opinions, how to manage meetings, and how to structure projects, assign work, and manage teams. —Andrea Hill, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2021

The Mavericks’ G-League Texas Legends opted not to participate in the league’s season that will be played entirely on the Disney World campus bubble, but NBA teams are allowed to transfer or flex-assign players to teams in the bubble. —Dallas News, 5 Feb. 2021

Editors for Timpone’s network assign work to freelancers dotted around the United States and abroad, often paying $3 to $36 per job. —Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2020

See More

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

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

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing assign

• pre-assign

• pre-assign

Kids Definition

assign

verb

as·​sign

ə-ˈsīn

1

: to give (as a title or right) to someone legally

2

: to pick for a specific use or job

assigned them to work in the kitchen

3

: to give out as a portion or task

parts in the play were assigned to each person

assign homework

4

: to give a certain quality, role, or importance to

events assigned to certain periods of history

assign number values to different letters

assignable

ə-ˈsī-nə-bəl

adjective

assigner

ə-ˈsī-nər

noun

or assignor

ə-ˈsī-nər;

ˌas-ə-ˈnȯ(ə)r,

ˌas-ˌī-,

ə-ˌsī-

assignment

ə-ˈsīn-mənt

noun

Legal Definition

assign

1 of 2 transitive verb

as·​sign ə-ˈsīn 

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

ə-ˌsī-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

assignable

ə-ˈsī-nə-bəl 

adjective

assignor

ə-ˈsī-nər 

noun

assign

2 of 2 noun

: assignee