Definition of consignnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word consign distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of consign are commit, confide, entrust, and relegate. While all these words mean "to assign to a person or place for a definite purpose," consign suggests removing from one's control with formality or finality.

consigned the damaging notes to the fire

When is it sensible to use commit instead of consign?

While the synonyms commit and consign are close in meaning, 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

When could confide be used to replace consign?

While in some cases nearly identical to consign, confide implies entrusting with great assurance or reliance.

confided complete control of my affairs to my attorney

In what contexts can entrust take the place of consign?

The words entrust and consign are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, entrust implies committing with trust and confidence.

the president is entrusted with broad powers

When would relegate be a good substitute for consign?

The synonyms relegate and consign are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

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 consign Those who despise Bacharach’s fluting tunes and David’s simple — if emotive — lyrics, consigning them to often denigrated genres such as easy listening, elevator music, adult contemporary or luxe pop. Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026 Rom-coms are largely relegated to streaming, and even more disproportionately consigned to holiday fare. Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 19 Dec. 2025 Today, while a new generation of supersonic transports is under development, civilian aviation is consigned to speeds below that of sound, though some business jets can go over Mach 9-and-a-bit. New Atlas, 13 Dec. 2025 What persists is a quiet, bitter awareness of lives long ago consigned to suffering and despair. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for consign
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consign
Verb
  • Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio.
    Jeff Marks, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
  • However, some oil executives have expressed discomfort with the idea of sending capital into Venezuela.
    Moriah Thomas, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Such vague commands, the court said, leave agents guessing how to respond during fast-moving protest situations and expose them to possible contempt sanctions.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
  • The auction house leaves behind its more cloistered Madison Avenue home for airy galleries in an 80-foot glass atrium, as well as an opulent neoclassical rotunda in the historic Steinway Hall.
    Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Damascus had asked Beirut to hand them over to continue their prison terms in Syria, but Lebanese judicial officials said Beirut would not release any attackers and that each must be studied and resolved separately.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
  • The game effectively ended with an infamous play call by then-Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, who opted to have then-quarterback Russell Wilson throw the ball at the one-yard line instead of handing it off to running back Marshawn Lynch.
    Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • This is not a failing of the principles of liberalism, however, but a failure of those entrusted to act in its name.
    Philip Mullins, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Between the river’s source, entrusted to an order of Orthodox nuns, and its southern delta, where caviar bound for the Kremlin is harvested, the author journeys through a defiant country transformed by war, sanctions, and reinvigorated patriotism.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Lebanon OKs Syrian prisoner transfer deal BEIRUT -- Lebanon's Cabinet on Friday approved an agreement to transfer Syrian prisoners serving their sentences in Lebanon back to their home country.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
  • When you’re finished recording, launch the Plaud app on your phone and the Note Pro connects and automatically begins transferring the file via Bluetooth.
    Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Six movable struts give the cockpit full freedom of motion.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
  • But Black art is always compared, shared and given a value.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Designed, tested, and deployed for the electronic warfare battlefield, V-BAT delivers ISR and targeting at significantly lower cost and logistical burden than larger Group 4 and 5 drones.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 2 Feb. 2026
  • In response, Strandjord and others have organized food and supply drives through a local café, delivering essentials directly to people sheltering at home.
    Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 2 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • People do not readily relinquish authority.
    Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Willis would never relinquish that varsity bag.
    Clark Fahrenthold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Consign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consign. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

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