deemed; deeming; deems
: to come to think or judge : consider
deemed it wise to go slow
those whom she deemed worthy
a movie deemed appropriate for all ages
: to have an opinion : believe
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Originally, deem meant "to legally condemn." The word is still frequently used in contexts pertaining to the law but with the general meaning "to judge" or "to decide after inquiry and deliberation," as in "The act was deemed unlawful" or "The defendant is deemed to have agreed to the contract." Outside of the law, deem usually means simply "to consider."
Examples of deem in a Sentence
The principal will take whatever action she deems appropriate in this case.
I deem it fitting that we mark this solemn occasion with a day of prayer and thanksgiving.
Recent Examples on the Web
The thing to remember is these administrative arrest warrants have been deemed justified by courts in immigration purposes.
—
Arkansas Online, 24 Jan. 2026
Over the years, individual dingoes deemed too habituated to humans have been euthanized, in consultation with the Butchulla people.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
By the third lesson we were deemed capable of navigating the Proclou, a magical 3km blue run with wide sweeping slopes through the forest.
—Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 23 Jan. 2026
Three weeks ago, Demetrice Martin, the father of redshirt junior safety Cole Martin, was deemed likely to join Arizona State’s coaching staff in a similar capacity, according to multiple reports.
—Benjamin Royer, Daily News, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deem
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Arkansas Online, 24 Jan. 2026
Over the years, individual dingoes deemed too habituated to humans have been euthanized, in consultation with the Butchulla people.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
By the third lesson we were deemed capable of navigating the Proclou, a magical 3km blue run with wide sweeping slopes through the forest.
—Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 23 Jan. 2026
Three weeks ago, Demetrice Martin, the father of redshirt junior safety Cole Martin, was deemed likely to join Arizona State’s coaching staff in a similar capacity, according to multiple reports.
—Benjamin Royer, Daily News, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deem
Cite this Entry
“Deem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deem. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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