consign

verb

con·​sign kən-ˈsīn 

consigned; consigning; consigns

transitive verb

1

: to give over to another's care

… consign her single daughters to the care of their sister …

—Jane Austen

2

: to give, transfer, or deliver into the hands or control of another

also : to commit especially to a final destination or fate

a writer consigned to oblivion

consign a body to the grave

3

: to send or address to an agent to be cared for or sold

consigned the paintings for sale

intransitive verb

obsolete : agree, submit

consignable

kən-ˈsī-nə-bəl 

adjective

consignation

ˌkän-ˌsī-ˈnā-shən 

ˌkän(t)-sig-

noun

consignor

ˌkän-ˌsī-ˈnȯr 

kən-

noun

Synonyms

• dispatch
• pack (off)
• send
• ship
• shoot
• transfer
• transmit
• transport

Choose the Right Synonym for consign

commit, entrust, confide, consign, relegate mean to assign to a person or place for a definite purpose.

commit may express the general idea of delivering into another's charge or the special sense of transferring to a superior power or to a special place of custody.

committed the felon to prison

entrust implies committing with trust and confidence.

the president is entrusted with broad powers

confide implies entrusting with great assurance or reliance.

confided complete control of my affairs to my attorney

consign suggests removing from one's control with formality or finality.

consigned the damaging notes to the fire

relegate implies a consigning to a particular class or sphere often with a suggestion of getting rid of.

relegated to an obscure position in the company

Examples of consign in a Sentence

She consigned the painting to an auction house.

The goods were consigned to him.

Recent Examples on the Web

If an egg is determined to be too soft or too runny, it's consigned to the tester bowl. —Amy Schwabe, Journal Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2024

Shaw has consigned the shoes to Heritage Auctions, which will exhibit the pair on a world tour later this year, according to a statement. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Mar. 2024

But consigning painful memories to the River Lethe also has clear drawbacks, especially as the months and years go by. —George Makari, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024

These revelations come as no surprise to almost anyone who personally struggled with the remote-learning regime to which children were consigned in 2020–21. —The Editors, National Review, 20 Mar. 2024

The ads loom over commuters and tourists, plastered with the colorful brand of what many here in the tech industry’s capital city thought was a company consigned to the dustbin of history. —Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024

Rather than consign the old ships to low-profile jobs, use the old ships ruthlessly now to help drive changes in the next flight of Offshore Patrol Cutters. —Craig Hooper, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

For progressive-minded voters, visual patriotism has been consigned to the dustbin of if not history then at least the one holding all our old skinny jeans and side parts. —Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2024

Brotherston also designed the costumes, dressing the teenagers in all-white uniforms that highlight the colorlessness of the world to which they are consigned. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French consigner, from Latin consignare, from com- + signum sign, mark, seal — more at sign

First Known Use

1528, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

consign

verb

con·​sign kən-ˈsīn 

1

: to give over to another's care : entrust

2

: to give, transfer, or deliver to another

3

: to send or address (as goods) to an agent to be cared for or sold

Legal Definition

consign

transitive verb

con·​sign kən-ˈsīn 

: to entrust (one's goods) to the possession of a dealer to be sold for profit or returned if unsold compare bail, entrust

consignment noun

consignor

kən-ˈsī-nər, ˌkän-ˌsī-ˈnȯr 

noun