Standard Lemma guide

assignment

noun · 15 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /əˈsaɪn.mənt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aɪnmənt
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 S AY1 N M AH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of assigning; the allocation of a job or a set of tasks.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • This flow chart represents the assignment of tasks in our committee.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The categorization of something as belonging to a specific category.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • We should not condone the assignment of asylum seekers to that of people smugglers.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The categorization of something as belonging to a specific category.

The categorization of persons as belonging to the male or female sex.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

An assigned task.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The assignment the department gave him proved to be quite challenging.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A position to which one is assigned.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Unbeknownst to Mr Smith, his new assignment was in fact a demotion.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A task given to students, such as homework or coursework.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: education

Examples

  • Mrs Smith gave out our assignments, and said we had to finish them by Monday.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A transfer of a right or benefit from one person to another.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: law

Examples

  • The assignment of the lease has not been finalised yet.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A document that effects this transfer.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: law

Examples

  • Once you receive the assignment in the post, be sure to sign it and send it back as soon as possible.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

An operation that assigns a value to a variable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, programming, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

the act of putting a person into a non-elective position

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the appointment had to be approved by the whole committee

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: appointment, designation, naming

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: decision, determination, conclusion

Narrower terms: nomination, co-option, co-optation, delegacy, ordination, ordinance, recognition

11

noun

Meaning 11

the act of distributing something to designated places or persons

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the first task is the assignment of an address to each datum

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: assigning

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: distribution

Narrower terms: allocation, storage allocation

12

noun

Meaning 12

a duty that you are assigned to perform (especially in the armed forces)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • hazardous duty

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: duty assignment

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: duty

Narrower terms: guard duty, guard, sentry duty, sentry go, fatigue duty, fatigue, mission, charge, commission, reassignment, sea-duty, service abroad, shipboard duty, shore duty

13

noun

Meaning 13

an undertaking that you have been assigned to do (as by an instructor)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: undertaking, project, task, labor

Narrower terms: school assignment, schoolwork, written assignment, writing assignment

14

noun

Meaning 14

the instrument by which a claim or right or interest or property is transferred from one person to another

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: legal document, legal instrument, official document, instrument

15

noun

Meaning 15

(law) a transfer of property by deed of conveyance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: grant

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: transferred property, transferred possession

Narrower terms: appanage, apanage, land grant

History

Etymology

From Middle English assignement, from Old French assignement. By surface analysis, assign + -ment.

Across languages

Translations

144 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 分配 (fēnpèi) — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Chinese Mandarin: 布置 (bùzhì) — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Chinese Mandarin: 指定 (zhǐdìng) — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Chinese Mandarin: 指派 (zhǐpài) — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Danish: opgave — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Danish: tildeling — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Dutch: toewijzing — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Dutch: toekenning — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Finnish: toimeksianto — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Finnish: työnjako — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • French: affectation — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • German: Zuweisung — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • German: Übertragung — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Hindi: नियुक्ति (niyukti) — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Portuguese: designação — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Russian: назначе́ние (naznačénije) — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Russian: распределе́ние (raspredelénije) — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Spanish: asignación — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Swedish: tilldelning — act of assigning; allocation of tasks
  • Chinese Mandarin: 歸類 /归类 (guīlèi) — categorization
  • Finnish: luokitus — categorization
  • French: affectation — categorization
  • German: Zuordnung — categorization
  • Polish: przyporządkowywanie — categorization
  • Polish: przyporządkowanie — categorization
  • Portuguese: atribuição — categorization
  • Russian: категориза́ция (kategorizácija) — categorization
  • Russian: классифика́ция (klassifikácija) — categorization
  • Armenian: հանձնարարություն (hanjnararutʻyun) — task
  • Azerbaijani: tapşırıq — task
  • Belarusian: зада́нне (zadánnje) — task
  • Belarusian: зада́ча (zadáča) — task
  • Bulgarian: зада́ча (zadáča) — task
  • Chinese Mandarin: 任務 /任务 (rènwù) — task
  • Dutch: opdracht — task
  • Dutch: taak — task
  • Finnish: tehtävä — task
  • Finnish: toimeksianto — task
  • French: tâche — task
  • French: mission — task
  • German: Aufgabe — task
  • German: Aufgabengebiet — task
  • German: Arbeit — task
  • German: Auftrag — task
  • Hebrew: מְשִׂימָה (mesimá) — task
  • Irish: tasc — task
  • Norwegian Bokmål: oppdrag — task
  • Russian: зада́ние (zadánije) — task
  • Russian: зада́ча (zadáča) — task
  • Russian: поруче́ние (poručénije) — task
  • Spanish: tarea — task
  • Spanish: encargo — task
  • Spanish: encomienda — task
  • Swedish: uppdrag — task
  • Swedish: uppgift — task
  • Ukrainian: завда́ння (zavdánnja) — task
  • Ukrainian: зада́ча (zadáča) — task
  • Bulgarian: назначе́ние (naznačénie) — position
  • Chinese Mandarin: 指派 (zhǐpài) — position
  • Chinese Mandarin: 職位 /职位 (zhíwèi) — position
  • Dutch: benoeming — position
  • Finnish: tehtävä — position
  • French: affectation — position
  • German: Posten — position
  • Portuguese: atribuição — position
  • Portuguese: posição — position
  • Russian: назначе́ние (naznačénije) — position
  • Spanish: tarea — position
  • Swedish: uppdrag — position
  • Azerbaijani: tapşırıq — typically a task given to students
  • Azerbaijani: ev tapşırığı — typically a task given to students
  • Bulgarian: зада́ча (zadáča) — typically a task given to students
  • Chinese Mandarin: 作業 /作业 (zuòyè) — typically a task given to students
  • Danish: opgave — typically a task given to students
  • Dutch: huiswerk — typically a task given to students
  • Dutch: opdracht — typically a task given to students
  • Dutch: taak — typically a task given to students
  • Finnish: tehtävä — typically a task given to students
  • Finnish: harjoitustehtävä — typically a task given to students
  • French: devoir — typically a task given to students
  • German: Aufgabe — typically a task given to students
  • German: Hausaufgabe — typically a task given to students
  • German: Hausarbeit — typically a task given to students
  • German: Hausübung — typically a task given to students
  • German: Studienarbeit — typically a task given to students
  • Indonesian: tugas — typically a task given to students
  • Japanese: 宿題 (shukudai) — typically a task given to students
  • Korean: 숙제 (sukje) — typically a task given to students
  • Malay: tugasan — typically a task given to students
  • Portuguese: tarefa — typically a task given to students
  • Portuguese: trabalho — typically a task given to students
  • Russian: зада́ние (zadánije) — typically a task given to students
  • Russian: зада́ча (zadáča) — typically a task given to students
  • Russian: дома́шнее зада́ние (domášneje zadánije) — typically a task given to students
  • Spanish: tarea — typically a task given to students
  • Spanish: asignación — typically a task given to students
  • Tagalog: takdang-aralin — typically a task given to students
  • Tagalog: asaynment — typically a task given to students
  • Breton: dilez — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Bulgarian: преотстъпване (preotstǎpvane) — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Chinese Mandarin: 讓渡 /让渡 (ràngdù) — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Chinese Mandarin: 出讓 /出让 (chūràng) — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Chinese Mandarin: 轉讓 /转让 (zhuǎnràng) — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Dutch: cessie — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Finnish: oikeuden luovutus — transfer of rights or benefits
  • French: cession — transfer of rights or benefits
  • German: Abtretung — transfer of rights or benefits
  • German: Zession — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Italian: cessione — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Japanese: 譲渡 (jōto) — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Polish: cesja — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Polish: przelew — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Portuguese: cessão — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Russian: переда́ча (peredáča) — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Russian: переусту́пка (pereustúpka) — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Russian: це́ссия (céssija) — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Russian: индоссаме́нт (indossamént) — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Russian: ассигнова́ние (assignovánije) — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Spanish: cesión — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Welsh: aseiniad — transfer of rights or benefits
  • Chinese Mandarin: 讓渡書 /让渡书 — document that effects this transfer
  • Chinese Mandarin: 轉讓文件 /转让文件 (zhuǎnràng wénjiàn) — document that effects this transfer
  • Dutch: akte van cessie — document that effects this transfer
  • Finnish: luovutuskirja — document that effects this transfer
  • French: acte de cession — document that effects this transfer
  • German: Abtretungsurkunde — document that effects this transfer
  • German: Zessionsurkunde — document that effects this transfer
  • German: Übertragungsurkunde — document that effects this transfer
  • Italian: atto di cessione — document that effects this transfer
  • Portuguese: cessão — document that effects this transfer
  • Russian: докуме́нт (dokumént) — document that effects this transfer
  • Bulgarian: присвояване (prisvojavane) — operation(s) that assign a value to a variable
  • Chinese Mandarin: 赋值 (fùzhí) — operation(s) that assign a value to a variable
  • Czech: přiřazení — operation(s) that assign a value to a variable
  • Esperanto: valorizo — operation(s) that assign a value to a variable
  • Esperanto: valorhavigo — operation(s) that assign a value to a variable
  • Finnish: arvon asetus — operation(s) that assign a value to a variable
  • French: affectation — operation(s) that assign a value to a variable
  • Japanese: 代入 (dainyū) — operation(s) that assign a value to a variable
  • Polish: przypisanie — operation(s) that assign a value to a variable
  • Portuguese: atribuição — operation(s) that assign a value to a variable
  • Russian: присвое́ние (prisvojénije) — operation(s) that assign a value to a variable
  • Russian: присва́ивание (prisváivanije) — operation(s) that assign a value to a variable
  • Swedish: tilldelning — operation(s) that assign a value to a variable
Real reading context

assignment in complete knowledge articles