evaluate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to determine or set the value or amount of; appraise.
to evaluate property.
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to judge or determine the significance, worth, or quality of; assess.
to evaluate the results of an experiment.
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Mathematics. to determine or calculate the numerical value of (a formula, function, relation, etc.).
verb
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to ascertain or set the amount or value of
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to judge or assess the worth of; appraise
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maths logic to determine the unique member of the range of a function corresponding to a given member of its domain
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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unevaluatedadjective
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nonevaluativeadjective
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evaluatornoun
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evaluativeadjective
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reevaluateverb (used with object)
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evaluableadjective
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misevaluateverb (used with object)
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evaluationnoun
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have evaluatedperfect
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has evaluatedperfect 3rd person singular
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have been evaluatingperfect progressive
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is evaluatingprogressive 3rd person singular
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are evaluatingprogressive
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am evaluatingprogressive 1st person singular
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evaluatessingular 3rd person
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has been evaluatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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evaluatingparticiple
Past
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had evaluatedperfect
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had been evaluatingperfect progressive
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were evaluatingprogressive plural
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evaluatedparticiple
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evaluatedsimple
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was evaluatingprogressive singular
Future
Etymology
Origin of evaluate
First recorded in 1835–45; back formation from evaluation
Explanation
When you evaluate something, you're making a judgment, one that most likely results from some degree of analysis. Breaking down the nutritional pros and cons of dessert options is evaluating. Diving into a tub of Ben and Jerry's because you have a craving is not. The word evaluate was used as a mathematics term before it became part of standard usage. Thus, its wonky connotation of objectivity.
Vocabulary lists containing evaluate
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Vocabulary of the Common Core
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Consensus estimates compiled by Evaluate Pharma project the market for drugs to treat the disease will reach $18 billion by 2032.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026
Evaluate your space with fresh eyes hunting out unused real estate for new storage — walls, under the bed, under stairs or eaves.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 13, 2023
Annual spending on pharmaceutical research and development globally is projected to rise to $254 billion by 2026 from around $200 billion in 2020, according to Evaluate Pharma, a research firm focused on healthcare.
From Reuters • Jan. 9, 2023
Evaluate your cabinets and counter space, and decide where a slow cooker or multicooker might fit best.
From Washington Post • Sep. 6, 2022
Evaluate, e-val′ū-āt, v.t. to determine the value of.—n.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.