assign

1 of 2

verb

as·​sign ə-ˈsīn How to pronounce assign (audio)
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 noun
assignable adjective
assigner noun
or assignor
ˌa-sə-ˈnȯr How to pronounce assign (audio)
ˌa-ˌsī-,
ə-ˌsī-

assign

2 of 2

noun

: assignee sense 3
heirs and assigns
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
England assigned Amari's grandparents to trick-or-treat duty with his three older siblings and headed to the local emergency room. Molly Castle Work, NPR, 25 Mar. 2024 Society still assigns moral failings to disabled people, including cancer patients, and my whiteness protected me from the worst of this. Maria Yagoda, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2024 The two schools were treated as Independents and reportedly assigned annual shares of $360,000 each for the six years of the contract cycle (2026-31). Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2024 He was assigned to USS Mason and deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, as part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group. Okelo Pena, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2024 The detective, who was also assigned to the U.S. Marshal's Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force, visited Anderson's home located just east of the Arlington Municipal Airport with several other task force members. The Arizona Republic, 22 Mar. 2024 Separate research has shown parents often give the nation’s K-12 system mediocre or bad grades but assign high marks to their children’s schools. USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024 The columns indicate different attributes of that task, such as the deadline or who is assigned to do it. PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024 Elton, who was on the Bremerton force in 2008 but was not assigned to the Basham case, said that because there had been no confirmation of his death at the time, the criminal case against Basham remain opened — until now. Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 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.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of assign was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near assign

Cite this Entry

“Assign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assign. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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 How to pronounce assign (audio)
1
: to transfer (property or rights) to another
the general practice by inventors of assigning patent rightsJ. 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 itFederal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 51
assignability noun
assignable adjective
assignor noun

assign

2 of 2 noun

More from Merriam-Webster on assign

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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