assessment

noun

as·​sess·​ment ə-ˈses-mənt 

a-

1

: the action or an instance of making a judgment about something : the act of assessing something : appraisal

assessment of damages

an assessment of the president's achievements

2

: the amount assessed : an amount that a person is officially required to pay especially as a tax

the tax assessment on property

Did you know?

History of Assessment

Assessment has two meanings (“an amount that a person is officially required to pay” and “the act of making a judgment about something”) so distinct that one might rightfully wonder if they come from different sources. They do not.

Both are derived from related senses of assess, a verb that for over 500 years has meant “to determine the rate or amount of (a tax).” The monetary sense of assessment is tied to this oldest use of assess. By the 19th century, the verb’s object shifted slightly to produce a new meaning, “to make an official valuation of (property) for the purposes of taxation.” It was but a short step from here to the broadened sense “to make a judgment about” that is the basis of assessment “the act of making a judgment.”

Synonyms of assessment

• tax

Examples of assessment in a Sentence

It's a difficult problem that requires careful assessment.

I don't agree with his assessment of the problem.

The owners claimed the tax assessment on their house was too high.

Recent Examples on the Web

Using CircKit, students can experience industry lifecycle assessment tools, learning how to navigate compliance and eco-design strategies. — Cleo Levin, Footwear News, 14 Aug. 2026

But another said the president’s view of the economy is shaped in part by his frequent viewing of Fox News and Fox Business, which generally air pro-Trump assessments. — Josh Wingrove, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026

Those short, regular assessments — captured three times each school year and employed by teachers to help identify struggling readers — showed about three-percentage-point gains last school year, according to data referenced by the chancellor. — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026

Today, most 16- and 17-year-olds who commit crimes are generally handled in juvenile court because policymakers recognize that adolescents differ from adults in judgment, impulse control, risk assessment, and susceptibility to peer influence. — Keith Wortz, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see assess

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing assessment

• self-assessment
• special assessment

Rhymes for assessment

• impressment
• reassessment

Kids Definition

assessment

noun

as·​sess·​ment ə-ˈses-mənt 

a-

1

: the act of assessing

2

: the amount or value assessed