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
Leslie agreed to a sentence of incarceration for one day, deemed served, and 24 months of supervised release, court records said.
—
Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 15 July 2025
Jamal White was found later that day, less than a day after an Amber Alert was issued and Milwaukee police deemed the child critically missing.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 15 July 2025
This is quite different than grantor trusts where the trust income is reported on the income tax return of the person who is deemed the grantor for the trust, often the person who created the trust.
—Martin Shenkman, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Any item deemed inappropriate or hazardous by stadium security.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 14 July 2025
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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Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 15 July 2025
Jamal White was found later that day, less than a day after an Amber Alert was issued and Milwaukee police deemed the child critically missing.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 15 July 2025
This is quite different than grantor trusts where the trust income is reported on the income tax return of the person who is deemed the grantor for the trust, often the person who created the trust.
—Martin Shenkman, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Any item deemed inappropriate or hazardous by stadium security.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for deem
Cite this Entry
“Deem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deem. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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