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 It was never consigned in writing. Literary Hub, 6 May 2026 Hitler comes to power; Lajos, by now a regional administrator, reluctantly carries out the Nazis’ orders, consigning the local Jewish population to death; Ilona and her husband flee to America by way of Switzerland. Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026 Mannequins will be displayed permanently after gala And these 25 new mannequins will not be consigned — as some are — to retirement after the show, which opens to the public May 10. CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026 And these 25 new mannequins will not be consigned — as some are — to retirement after the show, which opens to the public May 10. ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for consign
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consign
Verb
  • Sudden cuts tend to backfire, leaving you with the very symptoms fatigue, headaches, irritability that probably sent you reaching for caffeine in the first place.
    Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026
  • The journalist, who works for French outlets including RFI, was sent back without explanation.
    Sarah Dean, NBC news, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • If a bear is calmly minding its own business 100 yards away, leave it alone and continue creating distance.
    Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2026
  • The match became even more important after Spain, the heavy favorite to win Group H and a contender to win tournament, tied Cape Verde 0-0 in the earlier match, leaving the group lead up for grabs.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • Japan’s legal system has also been criticized for handing prosecutors too much power.
    Yumi Asada, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
  • This time, Alex Vesia and Jack Dreyer handed a four-run lead to Edgardo Henriquez in the eighth inning.
    Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • McConnell gets solid performances from his actors, none more so than Yurich, who obviously took a leap by entrusting his story to someone else but pours himself into the role to a degree that suggests complete trust.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026
  • You are not simply assigned a room, you are temporarily entrusted with the care of an extraordinary beachfront home.
    Arion McNicoll, TheWeek, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • Mackinac National Park was established in 1875, but was deemed too expensive for the national government to maintain, so custody was later transferred to the state of Michigan, and has since become Mackinac Island State Park.
    Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2026
  • Anthony was immediately taken into custody and later transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Pack Unit near Navasota to begin serving his sentence.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • Seven years later, the FDA has given Colorado the go-ahead, but there's still a lot to be done.
    Alan Gionet, CBS News, 17 June 2026
  • From a box-score perspective, Brind’Amour’s case ranks similarly to that of Rick Tocchet, Bill Guerin and Ray Whitney, who are all unlikely to be inducted given other sure-thing candidates about to retire around the league.
    James Mirtle, New York Times, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • The verdict was delivered amid difficult personal circumstances for Mette-Marit, Hoiby’s mother, who needs a lung transplant for pulmonary fibrosis.
    Reuters, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
  • Half is now based on volume of water pumped, delivering an incentive to use less water.
    Allen Best, Denver Post, 14 June 2026
Verb
  • The military relinquished its remaining ownership stake in the 1990s.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 June 2026
  • The compromise is mainly symbolic since FCAS is a generic name for such systems and not unique to this plan, but officials have been seeking a formula allowing Macron to relinquish the core fighter without having to declare the whole project dead.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 9 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Consign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consign. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.

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