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

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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

Hired for four years at a salary of $440,000, Carvalho quickly adopted a strategic plan that included detailed, regular review of a school’s test scores — from both the annual state tests and periodic district assessments. —Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2026

After Iran played to a draw Sunday at SoFi Stadium, its second of the World Cup in as many matches, the team’s coach began his postmatch assessment by backing up six months. —Andrew Greif, NBC news, 22 June 2026

Research consistently links chronic stress to impaired executive function, specifically the kind of thinking leaders rely on most, such as risk assessment, emotional regulation, and strategic planning. —Rhett Power, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026

Since the financial crisis-era period, the Fed had been starting the statements with an assessment on the economic state of affairs. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 21 June 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