assortment

noun

as·​sort·​ment ə-ˈsȯrt-mənt 

1

a

: the act of assorting

b

: the state of being assorted

2

: a collection of assorted things or persons

Synonyms

• agglomerate
• agglomeration
• alphabet soup
• botch
• clutter
• collage
• crazy quilt
• farrago
• gallimaufry
• grab bag
• gumbo
• hash
• hodgepodge
• hotchpotch
• jambalaya
• jumble
• jungle
• litter
• macédoine
• medley
• mélange
• menagerie
• miscellanea
• miscellany
• mishmash
• mixed bag
• montage
• motley
• muddle
• olio
• olla podrida
• omnium-gatherum
• pastiche
• patchwork
• patchwork quilt
• potpourri
• ragbag
• ragout
• rummage
• salad
• salmagundi
• scramble
• shuffle
• smorgasbord
• stew
• tumble
• variety
• welter

Examples of assortment in a Sentence

The book has a wonderful assortment of characters.

You can choose from a wide assortment of options.

Recent Examples on the Web

The contracts already have been ratified by an assortment of unions representing clerks, custodians, engineers, gardeners, librarians, mechanics and many other city workers. —David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024

Nordstrom just redefined its namesake brand with a huge assortment of high-quality essentials that are on trend but won't go out of style after a season. —Brittany Talarico, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024

Big Woven Bags Bottega Veneta, Ulla Johnson, Gabriella Hearst and an assortment of other runway presentations featured large woven bags as the centerpiece of their accessories. —Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 3 Apr. 2024

More than a dozen of these gorgeous giants horseshoe our backyard, providing a home to at least one owl, an assortment of songbirds, and, come winter, a roost for a murder of crows. —Tik Root, WIRED, 30 Mar. 2024

The new and upcoming restaurants further expand on Sky Harbor’s assortment of national and local food kiosks. —Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 29 Mar. 2024

Hershey’s, for example, has announced Easter products including Cadbury Caramello miniature chocolates which feature a caramel fill, a lemon crisp KitKat and an Easter candy assortment with Haribo gummy bears. —John Towfighi, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024

There's also a huge assortment of side dishes, pasta, salad, bar, soup, bread and sweets. —Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Mar. 2024

Guests don’t even need to leave the property for their afternoon wine flights—simply wander over from your suite and sample the assortment of complex Cabernets. —Amy Louise Bailey, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing assortment

• independent assortment
• law of independent assortment

Kids Definition

assortment

noun

as·​sort·​ment ə-ˈsȯ(ə)rt-mənt 

1

a

: arrangement in classes

b

: the quality or state of being made up of various kinds

2

: a collection of different things or persons

Medical Definition

assortment

see independent assortment