Synonyms of assign
- as in to task
- as in to allocate
- as in to cede
- as in to appoint
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Thesaurus Definition of assign
Synonyms & Similar Words
- redistribute
- reapportion
- parcel (out)
- share (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- deprive (of)
- appropriate
- pass (down)
- expropriate
- single (out)
Synonym Chooser
How is the word assign different from other verbs like it?
Some common synonyms of assign are ascribe , attribute , credit , and impute . While all these words mean "to lay something to the account of a person or thing," assign implies ascribing with certainty or after deliberation.
In what contexts can ascribe take the place of assign ?
The synonyms ascribe and assign are sometimes interchangeable, but ascribe suggests an inferring or conjecturing of cause, quality, authorship.
How is attribute related to other words for assign ?
Attribute suggests less tentativeness than ascribe , less definiteness than assign .
Where would credit be a reasonable alternative to assign ?
In some situations, the words credit and assign are roughly equivalent. However, credit implies ascribing a thing or especially an action to a person or other thing as its agent, source, or explanation.
When is it sensible to use impute instead of assign ?
While in some cases nearly identical to assign , impute suggests ascribing something that brings discredit by way of accusation or blame.
Thesaurus Entries Near assign
assiduousness
assignation
Cite this Entry
“Assign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assign. Accessed 3 Mar. 2023.
More from Merriam-Webster on assign
Nglish: Translation of assign for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of assign for Arabic Speakers
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- responsibility
.css-50zrmy{text-transform:uppercase;} .css-48zkli{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:wrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;} .css-du7esu{margin-right:8px;} synonyms for .css-44bdmm{position:relative;}.css-44bdmm::before{border-bottom:3px solid #F44725;content:'';left:0;position:absolute;top:90%;width:100%;z-index:0;} .css-burnx3{font-style:italic;position:relative;text-transform:lowercase;z-index:1;} responsibility .css-1ekpmrf{background:none;border:none;cursor:pointer;padding:0;}
- amenability
- answerability
- culpability
- encumbrance
- holding the bag
- obligatoriness
- capableness
- conscientiousness
- dependability
- dependableness
- faithfulness
- rationality
- reliability
- sensibleness
- steadfastness
- uprightness
- levelheadedness
antonyms for responsibility
- incompetence
- irresponsibility
TRY USING responsibility
How to use responsibility in a sentence, words related to responsibility, .css-lmff85{color:#00248b;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;} affair.
- circumstance
- office function
- transaction
- undertaking
- Herculean task
- accountability
- ball and chain
- excess baggage
- obstruction
- thorn in one's side
burden of proof
- onus probandi
- Herculean tasks
- accountabilities
- afflictions
- albatrosses
- ball and chains
- deadweights
- difficulties
- encumbrances
- excess baggages
- misfortunes
- obstructions
- punishments
- responsibilities
- thorn in one's sides
- weary loads
- carrying-on
- hanky-panky
- Mom and pops
- corporations
- establishments
- fly-by-night operations
- institutions
- organizations
- partnerships
- shoestring operations

To make someone responsible for something - thesaurus
to give someone responsibility for an important job or activity
saddle with
to give someone something that is difficult to deal with
to make someone or something else responsible for something, especially when this is unfair
to give someone something unpleasant to deal with
to make someone responsible for dealing with something
British to give someone a job or responsibility that they do not want
to stop speaking to or dealing with someone and let someone else do it
to give someone an unpleasant job that no one else wants to do
drop/dump something in someone’s lap
to make someone responsible for a job or a problem , without any warning
to give something such as your trust or responsibility for your safety to someone or something
buck-passing
the practice of blaming someone else for something rather than accepting the responsibility yourself
to give someone or something to someone else to take care of
credit with
to say or believe that someone is responsible for a particular achievement
to give someone an unpleasant or difficult job to do instead of doing it yourself or helping them with it
to force someone to accept or deal with something that they do not want

pass (on) the torch to someone
to let someone else do the work that you were doing or support the ideas that you supported
pass the buck
to make someone else deal with something that you should take responsibility for
to put a person or place under someone else’s control or protection
place something in someone’s hands
Transfer power/authority/responsibility.
to officially arrange for someone else to be in charge of something
English version of thesaurus of to make someone responsible for something
- Responsibilities and responsibility
- To be responsible for something
- To deny or refuse responsibility
- Responsible for something or someone
- To be someone’s responsibility
Free thesaurus definition of to make someone responsible for something from the Macmillan English Dictionary - a free English dictionary online with thesaurus and with pronunciation from Macmillan Education.
Assign responsibility synonyms
What is another word for assign responsibility .
- send on mission
- send on errand
- hold responsible for

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- responsibility
Synonyms for responsibility
- accountability
- answerability
- culpability
- level-headedness
- common sense
- reliability
- rationality
- reasonableness
- dependability
- trustworthiness
- conscientiousness
- sensibleness
an act or course of action that is demanded of one, as by position, custom, law, or religion
The social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force, related words.
- safekeeping
- guardianship
- social control
- moral obligation
- noblesse oblige
- burden of proof
- civic responsibility
- filial duty
- line of duty
- white man's burden
- prerequisite
- requirement
the proper sphere or extent of your activities
- ecclesiastical province
a form of trustworthiness
- responsibleness
- answerableness
- dependableness
- reliableness
- irresponsibility
- irresponsibleness
- respiratory distress syndrome
- respiratory distress syndrome of the newborn
- respiratory illness
- respiratory infection
- respiratory organ
- respiratory quotient
- respiratory rate
- respiratory syncytial virus
- respiratory system
- respiratory tract
- respiratory tract infection
- resplendence
- resplendency
- resplendent
- resplendent quetzel
- resplendent trogon
- resplendently
- response time
- responsibilities
- responsible
- responsible for
- responsibly
- responsiveness
- rest energy
- rest period
- restatement
- restaurant attendant
- restaurant chain
- restauranter
- response-produced cues
- Response-Residual Space Mapping
- Response-Service-Innovation, Inc.
- Response-Stimulus Interval
- Response-Time-Based Best-Effort Resource Allocation
- response-to-injury hypothesis
- Response/Time
- Responseless
- Responses of Germany and Japan to World War II crimes
- Responses of Savannas to Stress and Disturbance
- Responses to Information Requests
- Responsibilities Regarding Confidentiality in Mediation
- Responsibility Accounting
- Responsibility and Accountability Matrix
- Responsibility assignment matrix
- Responsibility Center
- Responsibility Center Manager
- Responsibility Center/Cost Center
- responsibility centre
- Responsibility Ethic Tradition Unity Spirit
- Responsibility in DUI
- Responsibility in Gambling Trust
- Responsibility in Managed Care Act
- Responsibility of a State
- Responsibility of Parents for Injuries
- Responsibility Reporting
- Responsibility to protect
- Responsibility to Protect from Terrorism
- Responsibility, Accountability, and Authority
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- 83 Synonyms
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- accept responsibility
- another possibility
- assume responsibility
- bear the responsibility
- concede possibility
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What is a word for when you pass the responsibility of something to someone or something else?
e.g. I x my responsibility of self-defence to the state.
- single-word-requests
- 2 I voted up two answers below - I would note that your question could be improved to suggest which answer would be better for your purpose. If you "pass" responsibility it can mean a few things. If you mean "assign" to another entity you might chose "delegate" where if you mean "give up" you might chose cede. (and for that matter, 'assign' and 'give up' are other alternatives yet less exclusively tied to responsibility) – Tom22 Mar 28, 2018 at 1:12
- @Tom22 ~ Thank you. However, I do believe delegate may be appropriate for "pass". Are you thinking of "pass off", perhaps? – Bread Mar 28, 2018 at 1:21
- 1 @Bread .. I agree that 'pass' in the title would fit more with "delegate" however the example of self-defense has it's own quirks to it when coupled with 'pass'. All in all the word "responsibility" does point more to delegate too - vs "right" or "ownership" or "interests" which fit more naturally with 'cede' .. but all could use more from the OP in terms of intent – Tom22 Mar 28, 2018 at 1:28
- It should be noted that "passing the buck" is an idiom suggesting the "delegation" of responsibility for an action that did not have a positive effect. Doesn't fit the stated example very well, though. – Hot Licks Mar 28, 2018 at 1:52
6 Answers 6
cede (sēd) TFD
To surrender possession of, especially by treaty. See Synonyms at relinquish. To yield; grant:
I cede my responsibility of self-defence to the state.

Delegate : verb (with object) entrust (a task or responsibility) to another person, typically one who is less senior than oneself. She must delegate duties so as to free herself for more important tasks. The power delegated to him must never be misused. I delegate my responsibility of self-defence to the state.
I entrust my responsibility of self-defence to the state.
entrust - verb - "If you entrust something important to someone or entrust them with it, you make them responsible for looking after it or dealing with it."
Example sentences from the web:
- I'll entrust the job to you.
- To your care I entrust the book, the embroidery frame, and the letter upon which I had begun.
- People entrust their money to others, who accept the responsibility to deal with it according to the terms agreed.
- He will entrust more responsibilities in your hands and elevate you to your proper status.

transfer (power) to a lower level, especially from central government to local or regional administration.
give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person)
Example sentences:
- Measures to devolve power to a Scottish assembly
- The representative devolved his duties to his aides while he was in the hospital
- The U.S. government could devolve a certain responsibility to the states
I relinquish my responsibility of self-defense to the state.
3b : to give over possession or control of : yield - few leaders willingly relinquish power.
"Relinquish." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Aug. 2018.
Delegate tends to imply that you have the authority to insist that the delegatee accepts the delegation. It's an offer they can't refuse.
Entrust focuses on the recipient and the thing recieved. This is slightly awkward here because it wouldn't then be self -defense, would it?
Relinquish focuses on the turning over or giving up. I think it works better in this particular case.
Forgo also has the correct sense, but you can't forgo something to some one.
Forsake suggests a totality of abandonment that probably isn't wanted here.
If you take the position that the state legislates the rules and is the one who decides where the responsibility lay, the entire sentence is a bit off. It is the state that causes you to forgo this responsibility. But this can be a matter of degree, and if you are electing to take the fullest advantage of their protection, I think you are choosing to relinquish what discretionary responsibility exists.
E.g. She was delegated to do the job.
- This answer has already been given. – fev Jun 9, 2021 at 8:06
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Synonyms for Assign responsibility · parcel out · hold responsible for · passed on · passing on · send on mission · send on errand · shunt · delegate.
Synonyms for ASSIGN: task, entrust, charge, trust, impose, commission, intrust, confer; Antonyms of ASSIGN: deny, retain, withhold, deprive (of), keep
synonyms for responsibility · authority · burden · duty · guilt · importance · liability · obligation · power
Synonyms ; entrust · to give someone responsibility for an important job or activity ; saddle with · to give someone something that is difficult to deal with ; shift.
What is another word for Assign responsibility? · delegate · pass on · passed on · passing on · parcel out · shunt · send on mission · send on errand.
Synonyms for responsibility in Free Thesaurus. Antonyms for responsibility. 58 synonyms for responsibility: duty, business, job, role, task, function
Synonyms for responsibilities in Free Thesaurus. Antonyms for responsibilities. 58 synonyms for responsibility: duty, business, job, role, task, function
5. »attributing responsibility exp. ; 5. »given responsibility exp. ; 4. »allocate responsibility exp. ; 4. »allocate tasks exp.
Delegate: verb (with object) entrust (a task or responsibility) to another person, typically one who is less senior than oneself.
responsibility ; 1 · duty. Definition. a person or thing for which one is responsible. The 600 properties were his responsibility. ; 2 · fault. Definition. the