Definition of consignnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word consign distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of consign are commit, confide, entrust, and relegate. While all these words mean "to assign to a person or place for a definite purpose," consign suggests removing from one's control with formality or finality.

consigned the damaging notes to the fire

When is it sensible to use commit instead of consign?

While the synonyms commit and consign are close in meaning, commit may express the general idea of delivering into another's charge or the special sense of transferring to a superior power or to a special place of custody.

committed the felon to prison

When could confide be used to replace consign?

While in some cases nearly identical to consign, confide implies entrusting with great assurance or reliance.

confided complete control of my affairs to my attorney

In what contexts can entrust take the place of consign?

The words entrust and consign are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, entrust implies committing with trust and confidence.

the president is entrusted with broad powers

When would relegate be a good substitute for consign?

The synonyms relegate and consign are sometimes interchangeable, but relegate implies a consigning to a particular class or sphere often with a suggestion of getting rid of.

relegated to an obscure position in the company

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 consign Denigrating the relationship—deciding, for instance, that the rejecter was evil, dishonest, unworthy of your respect or time— devalues your own history, in effect consigning the whole relationship to the trash bin. — George Loewenstein, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2026 Valjean’s famous bread-theft-to-feed-his-starving-family here becomes a footchase/fight setpiece before he is caught and consigned to an ever-lengthening prison sentence. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 23 Sep. 2026 In a world that promises to be defined by AI, universities that fail to produce graduates who can use it productively will consign themselves to irrelevance. — Sian Leah Beilock, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026 One indication was that Dorothée Lalanne and Marie Lalanne consigned separate collections to be auctioned—Dorothée to Sotheby’s in 2021 and 2022 and Christie’s in 2024, and Marie to Christie’s in 2022. — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for consign
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consign
Verb
  • Everyone exiting the show had a Hawaiian-style plastic flower chain placed around their neck to send the off into the NoHo night, which might seem like an unexpectedly comic touch at the end of a show that is focused on … aliens.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Minutes later, her roof partially ripped off, sending insulation and debris flying.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Jim Woolery was a dealmaker at the white-shoe law firm Cravath before leaving to run M&A at JPMorgan.
    — Ellen DiMauro, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • If a client’s business looks the same six months after an engagement ends, or if the gains fade the moment the vendor leaves, that was delivery.
    — Vikas Verma, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The twist is, the would-be brides and grooms must hand total control of their love lives to their families.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
  • One day earlier, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget granted $20 million to CBP before the money was handed to the advertising agency.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The authority entrusted to police officers carries with it an equally significant responsibility to act lawfully, ethically and with integrity.
    — Brian Maass, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Despite the poor performance of the PLC units entrusted with holding the coast, Abdulsalam relayed his confidence in the overall capabilities of the army.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Its ownership can be transferred to a new customer when selling it on secondhand platforms such as Vinted and Vestiaire Collective or Spin’s own peer-to-peer resale hub.
    — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The council voted to transfer personnel and funds from four existing departments involved in homelessness response to the new department.
    — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Although only group tours are available, there's a free audio app, which gives insight into the collection.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Among Steinbeck purists, giving Cathy a trauma backstory has proven a controversial move — one that just might turn the story’s main moral on its head.
    — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Earlier this year, the Dutch adaptation launched on RTL4 to more than 1 million viewers and a Polish version delivered TVN’s biggest primetime launch in five years, according to TF1.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Moscow — By agreeing to open Russia’s taps and release hundreds of thousands of tons of diesel into a starving global market, the Kremlin has achieved something that raw military might on the battlefields of eastern Ukraine could never deliver.
    — Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Moon, meanwhile, is struggling at school but on the precipice of adulthood; as the young woman begins to make her own decisions in life, Yue must relinquish a degree of maternal responsibility.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • With all the characters in the show, but with Margaret in particular, there’s this exploration of losing control, taking control and relinquishing control.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Consign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consign. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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