allocate vs assign

allocate and assign both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
allocate	No	No	Yes	No
assign	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, assign is a hypernym of allocate; that is, assign is a word with a broader meaning than allocate:

Other hypernyms of allocate include allot, portion.

allocate (verb)	assign (verb)
distribute according to a plan or set apart for a special purpose	select something or someone for a specific purpose
	attribute or credit to
	decide as to where something belongs in a scheme
	attribute or give
	transfer one's right to
	give out
	make undue claims to having
	give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person)