assortment

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "assortment" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a collection of contrasting items, objects, or people. For example, "The store had an impressive assortment of fabrics."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The film programming is impressive: multiple rooms screen a well-selected assortment of arthouse flicks from around the world, mostly subtitled in English.

The Guardian - Travel

Spending days cooped up in an overheated minibus with a random assortment of strangers ticking off the sights ought to be a recipe for disaster, and yet some of my happiest travel experiences have been group holidays.

The Guardian - Travel

But her presence here was guaranteed once news broke that she had qualified for Sochi by (allegedly – the case is now in the hands of lawyers) fixing four qualifying races in Slovenia, by hiring skiers to perform badly in them, including in the results athletes who were not even there, and an assortment of other comedy felonies.

The Guardian - Sport

They can't compete with HBO in the original programming department, but their rag-tag assortment of old titles and movies is formidable.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

In addition to the huge number of different groups fighting on the Ukrainian side, there is also a ragtag assortment of people fighting for the separatists – a mixture of Cossack militias and others from Russia who may have links with Russian intelligence, people representing local business and criminal interests, and ideologically motivated locals who genuinely believe in the cause.

The Guardian

On the other hand, an assortment of backbench Tory MPs and peers hymns the corporation's editorial freedom to investigate, in spite of statutory regulation by the Broadcasting Act.

The Guardian

To that end, Archibald has been using his Barcelona contacts to bring in an assortment of Spanish and South American players - 10 so far - whose performance against Raith Rovers in a 1-1 draw last week was described by Scottish Television as "sexy stuff".

The Guardian - Sport

Meatpacking companies that supply beef to food giants such as McDonald's are only one stop in a supply-chain that relies on an assortment of cattle suppliers.

The Guardian

At the same time, supermarkets are pruning the assortment of goods on shelves and consumers are shifting from name brands to supermarkets' own-label nosh.Factories producing packaged food are operating well below capacity, notes Thilo Wrede of Jefferies, a stockbroker.

The Economist

Rather than "provide a prearranged assortment of movies and television shows," Aereo allows customers to choose freely available shows they want to digitise; "subscribers," in short, "call all the shots".

The Economist

Instead, AMS uses the most powerful accelerator of all: the universe itself.A matter of fact?Space may look empty, but it is in fact abuzz with particles produced in an assortment of astrophysical processes, and known collectively as cosmic rays.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "assortment" when you want to emphasize a collection that includes a variety of related items, creating a sense of diverse options or elements.

Common error

While "assortment" is generally acceptable, consider more precise terms like "inventory", "portfolio", or "collection" in formal or technical writing to convey greater specificity.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "assortment" is as a noun. It refers to a group or collection of various items. Ludwig's examples confirm its use to denote diverse collections in different contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "assortment" functions as a noun denoting a collection of various items, as confirmed by Ludwig. It's grammatically correct and widely used across different contexts, particularly in news, business, and scientific domains. While generally neutral in tone, "assortment" can be replaced with more specific terms like "variety", "collection", or "selection" to enhance precision. Ludwig AI supports this conclusion, providing numerous examples from authoritative sources illustrating the versatile application of "assortment" in English writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

varied collection

This alternative emphasizes the diversity within the collection.

diverse array

Similar to "assortment", but highlights the structured arrangement of the items.

mixed selection

Focuses on the act of choosing different items.

range of items

This alternative is more general and emphasizes the scope of the collection.

selection of goods

Specifically refers to items available for purchase or choice.

variety of products

Similar to "assortment", but specifies that the items are products.

collection of types

Highlights the different categories or kinds of items included.

accumulation of things

Suggests a less organized gathering of items.

an array of choices

Focuses on the availability of different options to choose from.

group of diverse objects

Emphasizes the heterogeneous nature of the objects collected.

FAQs

How can I use "assortment" in a sentence?

You can use "assortment" to describe a collection of various items. For example, "The shop offered a wide assortment of cheeses."

What are some alternatives to using "assortment"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "variety", "collection", "selection", or "range".

Is "assortment" formal or informal?

"Assortment" is generally considered a neutral term, suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, in very formal or technical writing, more precise terms might be preferred.

What is the difference between "assortment" and "variety"?

"Assortment" refers to a collection of different items, while "variety" emphasizes the quality of being diverse or different. You might say "an assortment of candies" or "a variety of flavors".