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 Passengers who book a Basic fare won’t be given an option to choose their seat, as it will be assigned at check-in. Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2025 No Value On The Gift Never assign a dollar value to the artwork. Khurram Chohan, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025 Participants were randomly assigned to receive a once-weekly injection of 2.4 milligrams (mg) of Wegovy or placebo, alongside lifestyle counseling, over a 72-week period (nearly a year and a half). Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 1 May 2025 That ambiguity continues some weeks later in the library, where Gene has arranged for Henry to be assigned as a worker. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for assign
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assign
Verb
  • On the day of the wedding, the woman said her girlfriend's sister woke them up at 6:00 a.m., and she was tasked with cooking a multitude of dishes.
    Raven Brunner, People.com, 14 May 2025
  • Founding-era jurors were tasked not just with finding facts but also with preventing injustice.
    Mike Fox, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Though the president has allotted his confidence in Witkoff, the arrangement — which falls outside the typical executive branch flow chart — has not yet borne fruit.
    David Catanese, Miami Herald, 6 May 2025
  • The better a person’s social rating, the more luxurious lifestyle they’re allotted.
    Emily Blackwood, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The series feels looser as a result, more dug in to its concept of a road trip through a series of mini Elmore Leonard–style crime stories and more willing to cede the spotlight from Charlie to the murderers, con artists, and thieves facing off against her.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 May 2025
  • The Republican push to take a more aggressive stance on reversing federal regulations imposed by the Biden administration comes as the party has largely ceded other legislative branch prerogatives — over spending, trade and oversight — to the Trump administration.
    Maya C. Miller, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Verb
  • As the president considers the potential appointment of a new Arctic Ambassador, just as Greenland has appointed theirs, the prospect for diplomacy around extractive industries in the region deserves greater attention.
    Saleem H. Ali, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
  • During the last hunt, I was appointed the bear coordinator for the Heathrow community.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 May 2025
Verb
  • America’s military strength has always rested not just on its weapons and technology, but on the leadership of the men and women entrusted to employ them wisely.
    David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
  • Potential jurors shuffled into a Manhattan courtroom on a gray Monday in New York City as lawyers for both sides prepared to winnow down the class of people who will be entrusted with the fate of one of the biggest names in music.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 6 May 2025
Verb
  • Specifically, the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research allocated $100 million in federal funding for women's health in February 2024.
    Kori Hale, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
  • On Saturday, the Spanish government allocated €1.6 million (roughly $1.7 million) to a new feasibility study for a tunnel from the Iberian Peninsula to Morocco, the closest crossing between the two continents.
    Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025
Verb
  • She was turned over to ICE, sent to a processing center in Vermont and then transferred to the Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe, Louisiana.
    Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 12 May 2025
  • The suspect in the deadly shooting on the Florida State University campus last month was released from the hospital Monday and transferred to a detention facility, according to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 May 2025
Verb
  • He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for the role.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 13 May 2025
  • He was also nominated for Weir’s Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and Nolan’s The Dark Knight.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 13 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Assign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assign. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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