evaluate

verb

eval·​u·​ate i-ˈval-yə-ˌwāt How to pronounce evaluate (audio)
-yü-ˌāt
evaluated; evaluating

transitive verb

1
: to determine or fix the value of
2
: to determine the significance, worth, or condition of usually by careful appraisal and study
evaluative adjective
evaluator noun
Choose the Right Synonym for evaluate

estimate, appraise, evaluate, value, rate, assess mean to judge something with respect to its worth or significance.

estimate implies a judgment, considered or casual, that precedes or takes the place of actual measuring or counting or testing out.

estimated the crowd at two hundred

appraise commonly implies the fixing by an expert of the monetary worth of a thing, but it may be used of any critical judgment.

having their house appraised

evaluate suggests an attempt to determine relative or intrinsic worth in terms other than monetary.

evaluate a student's work

value equals appraise but without implying expertness of judgment.

a watercolor valued by the donor at $500

rate adds to estimate the notion of placing a thing according to a scale of values.

a highly rated restaurant

assess implies a critical appraisal for the purpose of understanding or interpreting, or as a guide in taking action.

officials are trying to assess the damage

Examples of evaluate in a Sentence

We need to evaluate our options. evaluate a training program as effective
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The team plans to expand the research to evaluate inhaler emissions in specific patient groups, such as Medicaid recipients, and to compare clinical outcomes of low- and high-emission inhalers in the same therapeutic class. Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025 According to them, managers and traders at Deutsche Bank were also evaluated and compensated largely on short-term profit and annual ROE metrics. Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025 While these rankings may be helpful, travelers should also evaluate other metrics and rankings for a comprehensive view of safety throughout the Caribbean. Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 8 Oct. 2025 The launch comes five months after CoreWeave paid $1 billion to acquire Weights and Biases, a startup targeting developers with software for training and evaluating AI models. Jordan Novet, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for evaluate

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from evaluation, from French évaluation, from Middle French evaluacion, from esvaluer to evaluate, from e- + value value

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of evaluate was in 1842

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Evaluate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evaluate. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

evaluate

verb
eval·​u·​ate i-ˈval-yə-ˌwāt How to pronounce evaluate (audio)
evaluated; evaluating
1
: to find the value of
evaluate a mathematical expression
2
: to decide the value or worth of after study
evaluate a new program
evaluation noun
evaluative adjective
evaluator noun

More from Merriam-Webster on evaluate

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