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

In all, VanDrunen, the county’s EMA director, said that, per an Indiana Department of Homeland Security damage assessment, about 142 commercial and residential properties in Newton County had some level of damage from the tornado. —Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026

The two companies will conduct technical and economic assessments to determine the operational requirements, production scalability, and commercial costs of the collaboration. —Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 May 2026

Edward Fishman’s Chokepoints explains how the US came to rely on its economic arsenal, but stops short of a complete assessment of the unreliable tactic and its often devastating consequences. —The New York Review of Books, 23 May 2026

After the incident, a building inspector was called to the scene for a damage assessment, as the woman's car was towed away. —Cbs Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 23 May 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