assigned; assigning; assigns
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
Will Dean4
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.
: assignee sense 3
heirs and assigns
Synonyms
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 WebLeo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 19 Apr. 2024
More detectives have been assigned to investigate the riot, which injured about 50 officers and damaged 20 police cars.
—Reuters, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024
Courts have also dismissed cases where employees alleged that they were assigned undesirable schedules or placed on probation because of discrimination.
—Ming-Qi Chu, Fortune, 18 Apr. 2024
In 2023, an inmate who was assigned to an 8-man cell at the Great Plains Correctional Center requested to be transferred due to safety concerns, the lawsuit said.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2024
The inside front cover features a slip displaying its accession number, which was assigned to the book when the library acquired it, and the library’s lending rules.
—Aaron Boorstein, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Susan Dlott.
—The Enquirer, 16 Apr. 2024
For a time, Second Amendment advocates used a local court rule regarding related cases to get weapons challenges to Benitez’s courtroom even after those cases were initially and randomly assigned to different judges.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
Judges are assigned cases through a random selection process, according to the website for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
—Neal Earley, arkansasonline.com, 5 Apr. 2024
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
Verb
The teachers, who were assigned to Crossroads Elementary School, were reassigned to administrative positions while the district investigates the allegations.
—Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 19 Apr. 2024
More detectives have been assigned to investigate the riot, which injured about 50 officers and damaged 20 police cars.
—Reuters, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024
Courts have also dismissed cases where employees alleged that they were assigned undesirable schedules or placed on probation because of discrimination.
—Ming-Qi Chu, Fortune, 18 Apr. 2024
In 2023, an inmate who was assigned to an 8-man cell at the Great Plains Correctional Center requested to be transferred due to safety concerns, the lawsuit said.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2024
The inside front cover features a slip displaying its accession number, which was assigned to the book when the library acquired it, and the library’s lending rules.
—Aaron Boorstein, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Susan Dlott.
—The Enquirer, 16 Apr. 2024
For a time, Second Amendment advocates used a local court rule regarding related cases to get weapons challenges to Benitez’s courtroom even after those cases were initially and randomly assigned to different judges.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
Judges are assigned cases through a random selection process, according to the website for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
—Neal Earley, arkansasonline.com, 5 Apr. 2024
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
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'assign.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near assign
Cite this Entry
“Assign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assign. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal 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
J. K. Owens2
: 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
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 51assign
2 of 2 noun
: assignee
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