assess

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb assess differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of assess are appraise, estimate, evaluate, rate, and value. While all these words mean "to judge something with respect to its worth or significance," 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

Where would appraise be a reasonable alternative to assess?

Although the words appraise and assess have much in common, 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

When would estimate be a good substitute for assess?

In some situations, the words estimate and assess are roughly equivalent. However, 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

When is evaluate a more appropriate choice than assess?

The synonyms evaluate and assess are sometimes interchangeable, but evaluate suggests an attempt to determine relative or intrinsic worth in terms other than monetary.

evaluate a student's work

How do rate and estimate relate to one another, in the sense of assess?

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

a highly rated restaurant

How are the words value and appraise related as synonyms of assess?

Value equals appraise but without implying expertness of judgment.

a watercolor valued by the donor at $500

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of assess The company said the model was trained on extensive public datasets and achieves state-of-the-art performance on most benchmarks and can assess mutation impacts in seconds. Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 26 June 2025 When boating, the DNR recommends assessing water levels and monitoring the boat’s speed, as well as designating a sober boat operator. Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2025 Hajek had come to assess what had been going on behind the privet. Andrew Rice, Curbed, 26 June 2025 In early August 2023, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker formed an Ad Hoc Council Committee on Emergency Medical Response to assess MedStar’s services and review other EMS models. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for assess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assess
Verb
  • Flight restrictions imposed after flare-ups between Iran and Israel last year were short-lived, Sobie said.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 21 June 2025
  • In 2019, lawmakers passed an amendment that also imposed the 30-day limit on semiautomatic rifle purchases.
    Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • Prosecutors, however, estimated the loss to businesses and homeowners at about $35 million.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025
  • The deadliest country in the world for young children is South Sudan — the United Nations estimates that about 1 in 10 children born there won’t make it to their fifth birthday.
    Kelsey Piper, Vox, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Keep your access fully charged for just $2.50 $1 per month for one year.
    Zoë Schiffer, Wired News, 29 June 2025
  • There was a good technical reason for the move: the wireless charging ring required precise placement to work, and the logo was moved to sit in the center, to provide a visual assist.
    David Phelan, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • Fostering environments where employees feel genuinely valued, challenged and fulfilled beyond their paychecks isn’t easy in the age of AI - but difficult is not the same as impossible.
    Chris Westfall, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
  • Cats also value their own space and can feel anxious when it is not granted to them.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • He’s evaluated everything from TVs and soundbars to smart gadgets and wearables, ...
    Parker Hall, Wired News, 21 June 2025
  • Over a period of four weeks, our testers evaluated each swimsuit on fit, comfort, quality, performance, coverage, and value.
    Esme Benjamin, People.com, 20 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Assess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assess. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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