assort

verb

as·​sort ə-ˈsȯrt How to pronounce assort (audio)
assorted; assorting; assorts

transitive verb

1
: to distribute into groups of a like kind : classify
2
: to supply with an assortment (as of goods)

intransitive verb

1
: to agree in kind : harmonize
2
: to keep company : associate
assorter noun

Examples of assort in a Sentence

assort these butterfly specimens according to geographic origin somewhat surprisingly, the collection of ancient Egyptian art assorts rather well with the museum's modern design
Recent Examples on the Web The long-running CBS series follows the lives and trials of a police commissioner (Tom Selleck) and his family of cops, lawyers, and assorted do-gooders. Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 11 Feb. 2024 The district encompasses an industrial cluster that includes two steel plants, an asphalt plant, a recycling depot, rail yards and assorted small factories. Lydia Depillis, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2023 Surrounding the walking circle will be assorted viewing options, from terraced standing-room space to premium seating, including club spaces, that will overlook the paddock. Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 5 May 2023 Making their way on foot, the teens need the sheriff to guide them through the wilderness, but conflicts, murder attempts, deaths, and assorted bad things happen, leading up to a wildfire breaking out, spreading to the nearby town, a desperate evacuation, and more drama. Kturnqui, oregonlive, 26 Apr. 2023 Tiny, pewter miniatures of warriors, wizards, and assorted mythological creatures. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2023 Roughly half of the world's population remains non-cosmopolitan and even populations within cities often assort along ethnic and linguistic categories. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 10 Dec. 2010 Participants were either assorted into a control group, a surgical mask group, or a more protective mask. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 3 Apr. 2020 Come see Minneapolis’ venerable comedy theater take on the polar vortex, aggressively enthusiastic Salvation Army bell ringers, Aunt Marge’s fruitcake and assorted other holiday traditions. Dominic P. Papatola, Twin Cities, 24 Nov. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'assort.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French assortir, from a- (from Latin ad-) + sorte sort

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of assort was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Assort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assort. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

assort

verb
as·​sort ə-ˈsȯ(ə)rt How to pronounce assort (audio)
: to sort into groups

More from Merriam-Webster on assort

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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