assigned; assigning; assigns
1
: to transfer (property) to another especially in trust or for the benefit of creditors
2
a
: to appoint to a post or duty
assigned them to light duty
assigned me two clerks
b
: to appoint as a duty or task
assigns 20 pages for homework
3
: to fix or specify in correspondence or relationship : select, designate
assign counsel to the defendant
assign a value to the variable
Though assigned male at birth, she appears most comfortable and in her element wearing a skirt and high-heeled sandals when riding a big-wheel or playing with a tea set.—
Will Dean
Will Dean4
a
: to ascribe as a motive, reason, or cause especially after deliberation
b
: to consider to belong to a specified period of time
Archaeologists assign the weapon to the eleventh century.
: assignee sense 3
heirs and assigns
Examples of assign in a Sentence
Verb
The teacher assigned us 50 math problems for homework!
She was assigned to the embassy in India.
The new teacher was assigned to the science laboratory.
The plane landed at its assigned gate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Anyone with information that could help investigators is asked to call state police detectives assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney's Office at 508-832-9124 or Gardner police at 978-632-5600.
—Michael Ruiz , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Don’t assign roles; assign relationships.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assign
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.
Verb
Wall Street is starting to look a bit like a stage drama where nobody is playing the part that casting assigned.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Anyone with information that could help investigators is asked to call state police detectives assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney's Office at 508-832-9124 or Gardner police at 978-632-5600.
—Michael Ruiz , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
To ensure accuracy, the team ran their identifications through thousands of statistical simulations — a process likened to how meteorologists model hurricane tracks — to account for instrument error and assign confidence levels to each match, according to the statement.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Don’t assign roles; assign relationships.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for assign
Cite this Entry
“Assign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assign. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
assign
1 of 2 transitive verb
as·sign
ə-ˈsīn 
1
: to transfer (property or rights) to another
the general practice by inventors of assigning patent rights—J. K. Owens
J. K. Owens2
: to appoint to a post or duty
assigned to represent the defendant
3
: to fix or specify in relationship or correspondence
a party may assign as error…a failure to give an instruction, if that party properly requested it—Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 51
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 51assign
2 of 2 noun
: assignee
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share