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

• 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

Pair leaderless group exercises with structured assessments. —Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025

The study focused solely on older adults; the average age at baseline for the men and women was 74.3 years, with follow-up assessments at around eight years later. —New Atlas, 11 July 2025

To determine school grades, the Florida Department of Education calculates school and district grades based on math, science, reading, and social studies assessment scores, along with student achievement, learning gains and graduation rates. —Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2025

For first-time buyers, property taxes can come as a surprise, especially after a new assessment and tax bill arrive post-purchase. —Brendel Clark, Freep.com, 10 July 2025

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