assign

1
as in to task
to give a task, duty, or responsibility to assigned the class with the task of finding something in the state constitution they felt needed changing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word assign different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of assign are ascribe, attribute, credit, and impute. While all these words mean "to lay something to the account of a person or thing," assign implies ascribing with certainty or after deliberation.

assigned the bones to the Cretaceous period

In what contexts can ascribe take the place of assign?

The synonyms ascribe and assign are sometimes interchangeable, but ascribe suggests an inferring or conjecturing of cause, quality, authorship.

forged paintings formerly ascribed to masters

How is attribute related to other words for assign?

Attribute suggests less tentativeness than ascribe, less definiteness than assign.

attributed to Rembrandt but possibly done by an associate

Where would credit be a reasonable alternative to assign?

In some situations, the words credit and assign are roughly equivalent. However, 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

When is it sensible to use impute instead of assign?

While in some cases nearly identical to assign, impute suggests ascribing something that brings discredit by way of accusation or blame.

tried to impute sinister motives to my actions

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of assign Two hundred and forty-four university students aged between 18 and 22 were recruited and randomly assigned to conditions with or without access to Google. New Atlas, 3 July 2025 It was assigned to the Senate Education Committee, which initially voted in favor of the bill. Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025 The classroom associates are full- and part-time employees assigned to specific schools who are also fully trained on safety protocols and have access to professional development training. Rachel Wegner, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 The Mountain West Conference hired Willkie Farr & Gallagher to lead the investigation, and Heaphy was assigned to lead it. Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for assign
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assign
Verb
  • This question is especially helpful if your energy feels scattered or you’re tasked with nebulous goals or shifting targets.
    Cynthia Pong, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
  • Jimmy is tasked with writing the story that exposes Lex Luthor.
    Abigail Lee, Variety, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • First Qatar, then Senegal, Togo, Spain, Colombia, Brazil, China, Lebanon and the U.K. spoke for three minutes each, the time allotted to member states.
    Isabelle Mayault, The Dial, 8 July 2025
  • Even more unconventional is the way these portals are arrayed and allotted.
    Brett Berk, Robb Report, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • No matter how much new manufacturing is built in the U.S., many of the materials still only come from China and any delays or missteps cede more ground to China in the middle of a brawl for AI dominance as China rapidly builds more power from coal to wind and solar.
    Jordan Blum, Fortune, 3 July 2025
  • Canada also had a clear 1.19-0.2 xG advantage thanks to a greater quantity and quality of chances created, but fully ceded that edge after halftime and was outshot 8-1 (0.04-0.64).
    Jeff Rueter, New York Times, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • When Herve Renard was appointed, the FFF publicly announced the aim was to at least make the semi-finals of the World Cup and Olympics but this time there has been no such proclamation.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 5 July 2025
  • The 12-member Guardian Council, half of whom are appointed by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, approved it the next day.
    Nabih Bulos Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • Aside from that, Sheppard has been entrusted with the keys to Houston’s offense.
    Kelly Iko, New York Times, 12 July 2025
  • As in the book, Bobo’s take on things is blunt and chipper and usually wrong; we’re entrusted to read between the lines.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • The legislation has to pass by July 18, or the funding will remain as allocated.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 10 July 2025
  • The third would appropriate relief and recovery funding to assist Hill Country flood victims, including allocating local match funding for jurisdictions eligible for FEMA public assistance.
    Bethany Blankley, The Washington Examiner, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • Osorio-Piedra will now be held without bond in the Detention Center until he can be transferred to the state Department of Corrections.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 11 July 2025
  • Blankenship’s Cuban client paid a bond and was told he’d be freed on a criminal charge in Miami, only to be detained and transferred to the Everglades.
    Gisela Salomon, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Senators from both sides of the aisle raised the issue during a July 9 confirmation hearing for Neil Jacobs, who's been nominated as NOAA administrator.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 11 July 2025
  • The full landscape of potential competitors isn’t yet clear, as candidates have until 5 p.m. on Friday to submit their nominating petitions.
    Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 11 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Assign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assign. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.

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