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assortment

American  
[uh-sawrt-muhnt] / əˈsɔrt mənt /

noun

  1. the act of assorting; distribution; classification.

  2. a collection of various kinds of things; a mixed collection.


assortment British  
/ əˈsɔːtmənt /

noun

  1. a collection or group of various things or sorts

  2. the act of assorting

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of assortment

First recorded in 1605–15; assort + -ment

Explanation

An assortment is a collection of things that aren't the same. An assortment of chocolates might have some that are filled with coconut, caramel, or nuts. Yum. An assortment is a bunch of different things all together whether they’re the same sort or not. An assortment of nuts is a bunch of different nuts, such as cashews, peanuts, and almonds. If you have books, candy bars, action figures, photos, and paper clips on your desk, you have an assortment of things. A store that sells a wide variety of products offers an assortment. If you love choices, assortments are for you.

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Vocabulary lists containing assortment

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Along with the usual assortment of local Kentucky supporters, the crowd at Massie’s election night included an eclectic mix.

From Slate • May 20, 2026

If Massie's campaign team made for a strange assortment, those in the audience were an even more unusual collection.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

“The Boys of Dungeon Lane,” Paul McCartney’s twenty-seventh post-Beatles studio album, is the portrait of an artist in his twilight, a rich assortment of storytelling and nostalgia befitting the world’s greatest living songwriter.

From Salon • May 12, 2026

“When you go to these clubs you’re always running into the most random assortment of people,” Lee said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Soon they were crowding the room—an assortment of strange-looking characters of all shapes and sizes.

From "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket

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