assignment

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noun as·sign·ment \ ə-ˈsīn-mənt \

Updated on: 26 Jul 2017

Definition of assignment

1 :the act of assigning something

the assignment of a task

2 a :a position, post, or office to which one is assigned

Her assignment was to the embassy in India.

b :a specified task or amount of work assigned or undertaken as if assigned by authority

a homework assignment

3 law :the transfer of property; especially :the transfer of property to be held in trust or to be used for the benefit of creditors

See assignment defined for English-language learners

Examples of assignment in a Sentence

The students were given a homework assignment.
The reporter's assignment is to interview the candidate.
The reporter is here on an assignment.
The reporter is here on assignment.
The article discusses the recent assignment of senators to some of the more powerful committees.
her assignment to the embassy in India
the computer's assignment of a number to each image
She asked if she could change her seating assignment.

Recent Examples of assignment from the Web

Outfielder Steve Selsky was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

— jason mastrodonato, courant.com, "Red Sox Add New London Native Rajai Davis From Oakland," 24 Aug. 2017
Without some legislative relief, though, at least 1,100 agents — for now — would not be eligible for overtime even as one of the agency’s largest protective assignments looms next month.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "The Trumps’ Travels Have Broken the Secret Service Budget," 21 Aug. 2017
For any undrafted free agent, being assignment sound is an important step in competing not just for a roster spot, but to earn an opportunity either elsewhere in the league or land a practice squad position.

— jim owczarski, Cincinnati.com, "Hardy Nickerson making own name with Bengals," 17 Aug. 2017
Prior to his current assignment, Gentry was stationed in Texas along the Gulf of Mexico, where Coast Guard officers were primarily law enforcement watching for drug smugglers from Mexico or Cuba.

— kitty conley, Post-Tribune, "Coast Guard focus on search, rescue in Lake Michigan," 7 Aug. 2017
During the summit, educational presentations and recreational events ranged from group assignments and workshops on the subject of modern slavery to a trip to George Mason University to engage in a team-building ropes course activity.

— robert newhouse, Teen Vogue, "These Teens Are Working to End Modern Slavery," 20 July 2017
After the game, Maddon declined to reveal Montgomery's next assignment with the impending return of Kyle Hendricks to the rotation next week.

— mark gonzales, chicagotribune.com, "Kris Bryant doesn't plan to quit head-first slides despite another mishap," 19 July 2017
Howie Kendrick, sidelined since June 27 with his own hamstring injury, will head to double-A Reading on Thursday to begin what should be a brief minor-league rehab assignment.

— matt gelb, Philly.com, "Phillies outfielder Aaron Altherr will be sidelined longer than expected," 19 July 2017
A recent assignment had Robbins exploring the mysteries of the dark web, the 96 percent of the internet that is hidden from search engines.

— darnell carson, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Science and technology reporter is "fascinated" by field," 18 July 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of assignment

see ¹assign

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

assignment Synonyms

Synonyms

chore, duty, job, task

Antonyms

discharge, dismissal, dismission, expulsion, firing

Related Words

chare (or char); endeavor, enterprise, project, stint, undertaking; care, charge, commission, responsibility; function, mission, office, operation, post; errand; circuit, round, route

Near Antonyms

blackball, rejection; deposition, dethronement, ejection, eviction, ouster, overthrow, removal

Synonym Discussion of assignment

task, duty, job, chore, stint, assignment mean a piece of work to be done. task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance.

- charged with a variety of tasks

duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

- the duties of a lifeguard

job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

- the job of turning the company around

chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

- every child was assigned chores

stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

- a 2-month stint as a reporter

assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

- a reporter's assignment

Other Economics Terms

actuary, compound interest, globalization, indemnity, portfolio, rentier, stagflation, usurer

Financial Definition of ASSIGNMENT

assignment

noun

What It Is

A wage assignment refers to a forced payment of a financial obligation via automatic withholding from an employee's pay.

How It Works

Courts can subject individuals who become delinquent in their obligations to wage assignments. In most cases, wage assignments are ordered when a person is delinquent on child support, spousal support, taxes or loans. If the obligor shows a history of nonpayment, a wage assignment can be used to automatically subtract money owed from his or her payroll without his or her consent. For example, if an individual becomes delinquent on $100 monthly loan payments, a wage assignment automatically deducts the $100 from the person's weekly or monthly paycheck and sends it to the lender.

Why It Matters

Wage assignments are frequently ordered in connection with delinquent child support payments and merchant credit balances. Though unlawful in certain U.S. states, wage assignments can be a useful, proactive method for recouping long-term unpaid debts.

Source: Investing Answers

ASSIGNMENT Defined for Kids

assignment

play

noun as·sign·ment \ ə-ˈsīn-mənt \

Definition of assignment for Students

1 :the act of giving out or assigning

the assignment of seats

2 :something (as a job or task) that is given out

a homework assignment

Law Dictionary

assignment

noun as·sign·ment

legal Definition of assignment

1 :the act of assigning

2 a :a position, post, or office to which one is assigned

b :a task assigned

3 :a present transfer of property or rights

— absolute assignment

:an assignment in which the transfer is complete and leaves the assignor with no interest in the property or right transferred

— assignment for the benefit of creditors

:assignment of property by a debtor to an assignee to be held in trust and used to pay off the debtor's debts

— assignment of income

:an assignment by one taxpayer to another of income for the purpose of avoiding taxes

— assignment of lease

:an assignment by a tenant of all of his or her remaining rights in a property under a lease — compare sublease

— effective assignment

:an assignment by which the assignor's interest in the property or right being assigned is terminated and transferred to the assignee

— equitable assignment

:an assignment (as of property in which one has a future interest) that is not valid at law but that would be upheld in a court of equity

— general assignment

:an assignment for the benefit of creditors of all of a debtor's property to be distributed fairly to the creditors — compare preference

— wage assignment

:an assignment by an employee by which an amount of his or her wages are transferred to another party (as a creditor) before the wages are paid to the employee — compare garnishment