assessment

noun

as·​sess·​ment ə-ˈses-mənt How to pronounce assessment (audio)
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.”

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 The score consists of 10 categories graded from 0 to 3 and includes patient reported outcomes and physician assessments. Charlotte Observer, 6 Mar. 2024 Auditors said San Diego housing officials failed to require the broker to provide a more timely valuation on the Hotel Circle property even after the commission lawyer requested a new assessment. Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024 The tests could serve to help researchers learn more about the impact of certain levels of PFAS in the body, said Dr. Roy Irving, hazard assessment section manager for DHS. Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2024 Following last year’s controversial property assessment season, many Jackson County homeowners are finding their mortgages and other house payments rising. Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2024 Those cuts fell most heavily on the district’s technology division, but assessment data analysts, freshman success coaches and Leadership Academy Network instructional specialists also lost jobs. Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Mar. 2024 State health department representatives will share findings from the latest exposure assessment report and answer questions from the community during two upcoming webinars, at noon and 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press, 4 Mar. 2024 Newsletters Sign up for First Opinion The smartest thinkers in life sciences on what's happening — and what's to come Privacy Policy The kidney would be transported rapidly to the accepting center, with assessment of the organ immediately upon arrival. Joshua Mezrich, STAT, 2 Mar. 2024 Wood has orthorexia, an eating disorder that isn’t in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, also called the DSM, which is the formal guide for clinical assessment of mental health conditions. Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'assessment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see assess

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of assessment was in 1534

Dictionary Entries Near assessment

Cite this Entry

“Assessment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assessment. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

assessment

noun
as·​sess·​ment ə-ˈses-mənt How to pronounce assessment (audio)
a-
1
: the act of assessing
2
: the amount or value assessed

More from Merriam-Webster on assessment

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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