assignment

noun

ə-ˈsīn-mənt How to pronounce assignment (audio)
Definition of assignmentnext
1
as in task
a piece of work that needs to be done regularly his first newspaper assignment was writing obituaries

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in job
a specific task with which a person or group is charged the spy team's assignment was to steal the plans for the nuclear reactor

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in lesson
something assigned to be read or studied have you read the assignment for tomorrow?

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in appointment
the state or fact of being chosen for a position or duty her assignment to the board of directors was a point of considerable pride for her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun assignment contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of assignment are chore, duty, job, stint, and task. While all these words mean "a piece of work to be done," assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

a reporter's assignment

When is it sensible to use chore instead of assignment?

While the synonyms chore and assignment are close in meaning, chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

every child was assigned chores

When is duty a more appropriate choice than assignment?

Although the words duty and assignment have much in common, duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

the duties of a lifeguard

When might job be a better fit than assignment?

The synonyms job and assignment are sometimes interchangeable, but job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

the job of turning the company around

When could stint be used to replace assignment?

In some situations, the words stint and assignment are roughly equivalent. However, stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

a 2-month stint as a reporter

When can task be used instead of assignment?

The meanings of task and assignment largely overlap; however, task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance.

charged with a variety of tasks

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 assignment Right-hander Dom Hamel, recently claimed off waivers himself, was designated for assignment to clear a spot for Fernández. —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026 He was designated for assignment in January 2025 and traded to the Minnesota Twins. —Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026 Carillo, who is in her 17th Olympics assignment, was already slated to be in Milan as a correspondent. —Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026 This is her 17th Olympic assignment and 14th with NBCUniversal. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for assignment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assignment
  1. task
  2. job
  3. lesson
  4. appointment
  5. duty
  6. mission
  7. homework
Noun
  • Strazik’s task is to build a distinct culture for a much more focused business, at a very different time, while driving growth at a pace that GE struggled to find for years after Welch stepped down.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Rebuilding Altadena Times contributor Sam Lubell wrote a comprehensive piece about the rebuilding of Altadena’s community spaces and parks in the wake of the Eaton fire, a task that has attracted the talent and attention of Disney Imagineers and Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of task
Noun
  • Suffice to say, Macdonald has more than done his job.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
  • At this point in his presidency four years ago, Democrat Joe Biden’s job rating was tumbling.
    — Craig Gilbert, jsonline.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of job
Noun
  • While the city does not track how often teachers use Hidden Voices, which is optional, in their classrooms, the guides have been downloaded more than 100,000 times, and lesson plans and posters 50,000 times, according to local education data.
    — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2026
  • Because that, folks, is where the lessons lie.
    — Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of lesson
Noun
  • Call 1-800-955-6886 to schedule an appointment to claim your prize.
    — Chris Sims, IndyStar, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Their proposal calls for an entity composed of representatives of the council, civil society and a judge from the Haiti's High Court, along with the appointment of a new prime minister.
    — JACQUELINE CHARLES MIAMI HERALD, Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of appointment
Noun
  • First Amendment experts question whether such dismissals violate free speech protections for public employees’ off-duty commentary.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
  • The dead included Hussein Hassan Hussein al-Semieri, a paramedic who was on duty at the time, said the hospital.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of duty
Noun
  • So our mission, moving forward, will be to compare them with each other.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Why pigeons can outperform drones in some missions The startup argued that pigeons offer practical advantages over conventional drones in specific environments.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of mission
Noun
  • This is my kind of detective homework.
    — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Her sons were doing their homework.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of homework

Browse Nearby Words

assigning
assignment
assignments
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Assignment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assignment. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on assignment

Nglish: Translation of assignment for Spanish Speakers

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