Dictionary

assess en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /əˈses/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
• (California) audio
• /əˈsɛs/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *sed- Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁yeti Proto-Indo-European *sedéh₁yeti Proto-Italic *sedēō Latin sedeō Latin assideō Latin assessus Medieval Latin assessareder. Old French assesserbor. Middle English assessen English assess From Middle English assessen, from Old French assesser, from Medieval Latin assessare, originally the frequentative of Latin assessus, past participle of assidēre, from ad (“to, towards, at”) + sedeō (“sit; settle down”). Cognate with Spanish asentar (“to settle”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To determine, estimate or judge the value of; to evaluate; to estimate.
   • An insurance adjuster will assess the damage.
   • Similarly, the Paris Agreement allowed countries to voluntarily report their military emissions, which means that we still do not have any way to accurately assess the global environmental toll of warfare. 2025 November 20, Simmone Shah, “Ukraine to Claim $44bn in Climate Damages From Russia. Why War Is So Bad For Emissions”, in TIME, archived from the original on 08 Dec 2025:
   • He assessed the situation.
2. (transitive) To impose or charge, especially as punishment for an infraction.
   • Judge Cohen ruled that Blacklock, McKenzie and Benschop must make restitution for the $50.29 damage and that each must pay a mandatory $40.00 surcharge assessed to anybody who is found guilty of a misdemeanor in New York state. 1984 February 4, Christine Guilfoy, “Three Seneca Women Get 89 Days in Jail”, in Gay Community News, volume 11, number 28, page 1:
   • The referee assessed a penalty for delaying the game.
   • A $10.00 late fee will be assessed on all overdue accounts.
   • We were assessed $750 in court costs.
3. (transitive) To calculate and demand (the tax money due) from a person or entity.
   • Once you've submitted a tax return, the Tax Department will assess the amount of tax you still owe.

Forms

Deriveds

overassess · reassess · nonassessed · unassessably · assessably · unassessed · assessingly · assessible · assessability · underassessment · assessee · misassess · assessable · preassess · unassessability · risk-assess · underassess · unassessable · overassessment · assessment · risk-assessed

Relateds

assessor

Synonyms

value · apprise · weigh · rate · prize · valuate · evaluate · price · apprize · esteem · rate · value · assess · worthen · esteem · judge · appraise

Translations (101)

el αξιολογώ (to determine the value of) · ar يُقَدِّر (to determine the value of) · pl ocenić (to determine the value of) · bg облагам (to give or charge with) · sk zhodnotiť (to determine the value of) · nl opleggen (to impose or subject to) · de bewerten (to determine the value of) · ru штрафова́ть (to impose or subject to) · de beurteilen (to determine the value of) · hu értékel (to determine the value of) · de schätzen (to determine the value of) · es evaluar (to determine the value of) · fr infliger (to give or charge with) · uk оці́нювати (to determine the value of) · es gravar (to impose or subject to) · la aestimō (to determine the value of) · de einschätzen (to determine the value of) · cs ocenit (to determine the value of) · es estimar (to determine the value of) · fr évaluer (to determine the value of) · ca avaluar (to determine the value of) · egy i-p:Y1 (to determine the value of) · eo taksi (to determine the value of) · fi arvioida (to determine the value of) · sk uvaliť (to impose or subject to) · es determinar (to give or charge with) · es expertizar (to determine the value of) · nl beoordelen (to determine the value of) · ota تجزیه ایتمك (to give or charge with) · ru оце́нивать (to determine the value of) · tr değerlendirmek (to determine the value of) · el υπολογίζω (to determine the value of) · bg определям (to impose or subject to) · de bemessen (to impose or subject to) · da vurdere (to determine the value of) · cs ohodnotit (to determine the value of) · hu kiszab (to impose or subject to) · ru определя́ть (to determine the value of) · uk оціни́ти (to determine the value of) · hi मूल्यांकन करना (to determine the value of) · uk штрафува́ти (to impose or subject to) · hu megállapít (to determine the value of) · eu balio eman (to determine the value of) · de auferlegen (to give or charge with) · uk оподаткува́ти (to impose or subject to) · hu előír (to give or charge with) · ar يُغَرِّم (to give or charge with) · nl belasten (to give or charge with) · mi aromatawai (to determine the value of) · sk oceniť (to determine the value of) · sv belasta (to give or charge with) · ca gravar (to impose or subject to) · sk vyrúbiť (to give or charge with) · uk визнача́ти (to determine the value of) · bg оценя́вам (to determine the value of) · sk ohodnotiť (to determine the value of) · ru облага́ть (to give or charge with) · eu baloratu (to determine the value of) · pt estimar (to determine the value of) · de erheben (to give or charge with) · mhr аклаш (to determine the value of) · it stimare (to determine the value of) · hu felbecsül (to determine the value of) · oc estimar (to determine the value of) · ca valorar (to determine the value of) · sk vyrúbiť (to impose or subject to) · hu felmér (to determine the value of) · fi tarkastaa (to impose or subject to) · ga measúnaigh (to determine the value of) · hu kivet (to impose or subject to) · el εκτιμώ (to determine the value of) · fi määrittää (to determine the value of) · it valutare (to determine the value of) · hu kiró (to impose or subject to) · sv värdera (to determine the value of) · es imponer (to impose or subject to) · ru определи́ть (to determine the value of) · pl oceniać (to determine the value of) · ru обложи́ть (to give or charge with) · hu megítél (to give or charge with) · fi määrittää (to impose or subject to) · fi antaa (to give or charge with) · sk stanoviť (to give or charge with) · ca estimar (to determine the value of) · uk ви́значити (to determine the value of) · uk оподатко́вувати (to impose or subject to) · nl evalueren (to determine the value of) · ru облага́ть (to impose or subject to) · ru оцени́ть (to determine the value of) · eu neurtu (to determine the value of) · hu kiértékel (to determine the value of) · it tassare (to impose or subject to) · la taxō (to determine the value of) · pt avaliar (to determine the value of) · oc evaluar (to determine the value of) · fr estimer (to determine the value of) · it estimare (to determine the value of) · fi jakaa (to give or charge with) · el αποτιμώ (to determine the value of) · it applicare (to impose or subject to) · sv förelägga (to impose or subject to)