assess

American  

[uh-ses] / əˈsɛs /

verb (used with object)

• assesses,
  present (3rd person singular)
• assessed,
  past participle,  past
• assessing
  present participle

1. to estimate officially the value of (property, income, etc.) as a basis for taxation.

2. to fix or determine the amount of (damages, a tax, a fine, etc.).

   The hurricane damage was assessed at six million dollars.

   Synonyms:

   adjust, appraise

3. to impose a tax or other charge on.

4. to estimate or judge the value, character, etc., of; evaluate.

   to assess one's efforts.

   Synonyms:

   appraise

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assess British  

/ əˈsɛs /

verb

1. to judge the worth, importance, etc, of; evaluate

2. (foll by at) to estimate the value of (income, property, etc) for taxation purposes

   the estate was assessed at three thousand pounds

3. to determine the amount of (a fine, tax, damages, etc)

4. to impose a tax, fine, etc, on (a person or property)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overassess
  verb (used with object)
• reassess
  verb (used with object)
• assessable
  adjective
• unassessable
  adjective
• unassessed
  adjective
• well-assessed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• assessing
  present
• assessed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• assess
  simple
• assesses
  simple
• have assessed
  perfect
• has assessed
  perfect
• am assessing
  progressive
• are assessing
  progressive
• is assessing
  progressive
• have been assessing
  perfect progressive
• has been assessing
  perfect progressive

Past

• assessed
  simple
• had assessed
  perfect
• was assessing
  progressive
• were assessing
  progressive
• had been assessing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will assess
  simple
• will have assessed
  perfect
• will be assessing
  progressive
• will have been assessing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of assess

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English assessen, from Old French assesser, from Medieval Latin assessāre “to assess a tax,” derivative of Latin assessus “seated beside (a judge)” (past participle of assidēre ), equivalent to as- “toward” + sed- (stem of sedēre “to sit”) + -tus past participle suffix; see as-, sit ¹

Explanation

Before you try to sell your car, you should ask an expert to assess its value — once you know what it's worth, it's easier to find a fair price. When you assess a matter, you make a judgment about it. The verb assess has the general meaning of determining the importance or value of something. It also has a few specialized uses having to do with amounts of money, such as fines, fees, and taxes. It can mean to set the value of property for purposes of taxation, or to charge a person or business a tax or fee. Assess comes from Anglo-French usage, and is ultimately derived from the Latin verb assidēre, "to sit as a judge."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

assess assesses assessed assessing

“And I think that what’s important is that we have to assess what a candidate is saying now.”

From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2026

The question that underwriters will have to assess is what would happen if the AI build-out stalls and projects are delayed or canceled.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

The impact of recent heatwaves on where people choose to live is harder to assess.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

"The cost to repair the equipment, remove the paint and assess any safety implications or wider damage will run into thousands of pounds."

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

How, in short, do we assess the potential of an entire local flora for domestication?

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

A recent analysis from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, an independent nonprofit that assesses the value of medical treatments, concluded that GLP-1 drugs including Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound are cost-effective.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026

BBC Sport's Neil Johnston assesses how the players performed on Tuesday - and you can see how readers rated them at the bottom of the page too.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

Switzerland's biggest bank, which is among the world's largest wealth managers, produces the annual UBS Global Wealth Report, which assesses personal wealth trends.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

The brokerage assesses income from this hike as higher quality than other revenue streams, given low risk of tariff reductions once implemented.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026

Mom assesses a shriveled turnip, squeezing as she rotates it.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali

—Oil prices fell as investors assessed a weaker demand outlook and continued to monitor developments in the Middle East, though talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz remained stalled.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

It also assessed that “there were no incidents in which civilian casualties more likely than not resulted from U.S. military operations” in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean, where U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

Children with ASN include those who have a Co-ordinated Support Plan, Individualised Education Programme or child's plan, and are assessed or declared disabled, or as having another support need.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

At Porto Germeno on Tuesday, police had set up checkpoints controlling access to the area as authorities assessed the damage.

From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026

Now, heading back to the river, he assessed the weather.

From "Son" by Lois Lowry

Probation officers help former prisoners with housing, employment and access to benefits once in the community, and help protect the public by assessing the risk of further offending.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

She added that she has never viewed the homeless count as a precise tool for assessing the crisis.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

The hotel and casino company confirmed during an earnings call last week that it is currently assessing the offer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

For Webster, assessing the land involves him "literally digging and going underground," he says.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

As Dede walked up the driveway, assessing what still needed to be done in the yard, the boys raced each other to the door.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

Related Words

• appraise
• check
• determine
• estimate
• fix
• gauge
• judge
• weigh