deem

American  

[deem] / dim /

verb (used without object)

• deems,
  present (3rd person singular)
• deemed,
  past participle,  past
• deeming
  present participle

1. to form or have an opinion; judge; think.

   He did not deem lightly of the issue.

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verb (used with object)

• deems,
  present (3rd person singular)
• deemed,
  past participle,  past
• deeming
  present participle

1. to hold as an opinion; think; regard as.

   He deemed it wise to refuse the offer.

   Synonyms:

   believe, hold, consider

deem British  

/ diːm /

verb

1. (tr) to judge or consider

   I do not deem him worthy of this honour

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

• deeming
  present
• deemed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• deem
  simple
• deems
  simple
• have deemed
  perfect
• has deemed
  perfect
• am deeming
  progressive
• are deeming
  progressive
• is deeming
  progressive
• have been deeming
  perfect progressive
• has been deeming
  perfect progressive

Past

• deemed
  simple
• had deemed
  perfect
• was deeming
  progressive
• were deeming
  progressive
• had been deeming
  perfect progressive

Future

• will deem
  simple
• will have deemed
  perfect
• will be deeming
  progressive
• will have been deeming
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of deem

First recorded before 900; Middle English demen, Old English dēman; cognate with Gothic dōmjan, Old High German tuomen; see doom

Explanation

To deem is a verb that means to view as or judge. Your parents or boss may deem something necessary that you don't, like coming home by midnight or working late. Deem comes from the Old English word, deman — meaning "act as a judge." If you deem something, you essentially become the judge of whether it has a characteristic. For example, if you deem your little sister's jokes to be too ridiculous to listen to, you will probably just walk away.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

deem deems deemed deeming

Proponents hold that estrangement is being destigmatized, not necessarily happening more often, and that it can be needed and healing for adult children to cut off parents they deem harmful.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026

“The thinking in its simplest form is what do we deem the best for our football players and for them to try and be at their best,” McVay said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

In Nepal, authorities have also ordered the removal of online content that they deem to be misinformation about the floods.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

The world of “Lanterns” prefers to be bracingly honest about our false assumptions about heroism and whether the people we deem to be noble really are.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

“Yes! I think her involvement will really get some of the more popular students to participate. By ‘popular,’ I mean those students that fit a construct of what high school-aged peers deem to be cool.

From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan

“In light of evolving societal norms, the Commissioner deems there is insufficient justification for the continued use of marital status in automobile insurance rating,” the filing stated.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

"This is a message that Pyongyang is closely watching the upcoming drills and could stage a provocation if it deems one necessary."

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

The law allows the president to impose tariffs on products he deems critical to national security, such as polysilicon that ends up in semiconductors used by military contractors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Singapore has strict rules on public speech and what it deems as demonstrations, arguing that it is necessary to regulate them to protect social harmony.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

“Well, you have three weeks. It’s not long, but you can begin training. If the Assignment Board deems you fit, possibly your case will be reviewed.”

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

They said he would be protected for the duration of his trip because he was deemed vulnerable to an attack.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

Of the four who were found, two were deemed to be stable and two were in unknown condition.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

“Unsheltered” people live outdoors, in cars, in abandoned buildings, or in other places deemed unfit for human habitation, HUD says.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

Cincinnati Bengals receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins were both fined for making a gesture the league deemed to be obscene.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

The organization opposed black candidates for public office whom they deemed too accommodationist and its members walked alongside the pioneering black students integrating Durham’s public schools.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

City officials on Tuesday “red-tagged” seven of those homes in the Capistrano Bay District community, deeming them unsafe for residents, and two others were “yellow-tagged,” signifying some safety concerns, according to Dana Point officials.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

You have three options: First, if you claim now at 64, your benefit is permanently reduced, and because of the aforementioned deeming rules.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

Commerzbank CEO Bettina Orlopp has called for the opening of talks with UniCredit regarding the German bank's future, deeming a "constructive dialogue" necessary after the Italian group secured nearly half of the voting rights.

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

The three judges also found that the original judge had erred by not deeming Tickle's removal from the app based on Grover's "first visual review" of the profile picture as direct discrimination.

From BBC ● May 15, 2026

I watched the news unfold on TV with my mom: Trayvon, a black high school student, was walking home from a convenience store when a man named George Zimmerman began following him, deeming him suspicious.

From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana

Related Words

• allow
• assume
• believe
• expect
• feel
• presume
• suppose
• suspect