# assigned

/əˈsaɪnd/ (US) · /ɐsˈaɪnd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/assigned
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to give a task

verb · CEFR B1

to give someone a specific job, duty, or piece of work to complete.

For teachers: to allocate a task or duty to a person or group. Transitive; typically takes a direct object (the task) and an indirect object (the person).

- The teacher assigned a long essay to the class for the weekend.
- The project manager assigned the most technical components of the software build to the senior developers to ensure stability.

Usage: Often used in the pattern 'assign something to someone' or 'assign someone something'.

### 2. to designate a role or place

verb · CEFR B2

to decide that someone has a particular role or that something belongs in a certain place.

For teachers: to designate or appoint someone to a particular position, or to attribute a specific place or value to something.

- They assigned him to the London office for six months.
- The diplomat was assigned to the embassy in Cairo during a period of significant regional transition.

Usage: Commonly used in the passive voice when referring to job placements.

### 3. designated for a purpose

adjective · CEFR B1

describes something that has been chosen for a particular person or use.

For teachers: referring to something that has been specifically allocated or designated. Often used in attributive position before a noun.

- Please sit in your assigned seat before the show starts.
- Each participant was required to stay within their assigned budget to prevent the project from becoming financially unviable.

## Examples

- The teacher assigned a difficult project to the class.
- The manager assigned the new account to Sarah because she has extensive experience with international clients.
- In computer programming, a developer must ensure that variables are correctly assigned a value before the system attempts to process them in a calculation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.