assess

[ uh-ses ]

verb (used with object)

1. to estimate officially the value of (property, income, etc.) as a basis for taxation.
2. to fix or determine the amount of (damages, a tax, a fine, etc.):

   The hurricane damage was assessed at six million dollars.

   Synonyms: adjust, appraise

3. to impose a tax or other charge on.
4. to estimate or judge the value, character, etc., of; evaluate:

   to assess one's efforts.

   Synonyms: appraise

assess

/ əˈsɛs /

verb

1. to judge the worth, importance, etc, of; evaluate
2. foll by at to estimate the value of (income, property, etc) for taxation purposes

   the estate was assessed at three thousand pounds

3. to determine the amount of (a fine, tax, damages, etc)
4. to impose a tax, fine, etc, on (a person or property)

Derived Forms

• asˈsessable, adjective

Other Words From

• as·sess·a·ble adjective
• o·ver·as·sess verb (used with object)
• re·as·sess verb (used with object)
• un·as·sess·a·ble adjective
• un·as·sessed adjective
• well-as·sessed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of assess¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English assessen, from Old French assesser, from Medieval Latin assessāre “to assess a tax,” derivative of Latin assessus “seated beside (a judge)” (past participle of assidēre ), equivalent to as- “toward” + sed- (stem of sedēre “to sit”) + -tus past participle suffix; as-, sit ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of assess¹

C15: from Old French assesser, from Latin assidēre to sit beside, from sedēre to sit

Example Sentences

It should also be assessed how frightening, worrisome or harmful they are considered to be.

From Science Daily

“Everybody’s just trying to assess what we should do next,” said Sharon Rapport, director of California state policy for the Corporation for Supportive Housing, an advocacy group that also works with homeless nonprofits.

From Los Angeles Times

The team also hopes to automate the process of assessing nutritional content based on food photos, and is developing large language models capable of automatically asking follow-up questions to obtain more accurate information.

From Science Daily

Companies like Meta will have three months to assess the risks of illegal content appearing online, and will have to take steps to block it.

From BBC

But she said more evidence was required to ensure the "overall missions" of the Starmer government would be delivered, adding her department currently lacked “basic information” required to assess forces.

From BBC

Related Words

• appraise
• check
• determine
• estimate
• fix
• gauge
• judge
• weigh