quantify
Americanverb (used with object)
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to determine, indicate, or express the quantity of.
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Logic. to make explicit the quantity of (a proposition).
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to give quantity to (something regarded as having only quality).
verb
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to discover or express the quantity of
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logic to specify the quantity of (a term) by using a quantifier, such as all, some, or no
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have quantifiedperfect
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has quantifiedperfect 3rd person singular
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have been quantifyingperfect progressive
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am quantifyingprogressive 1st person singular
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is quantifyingprogressive 3rd person singular
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quantifyingparticiple
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has been quantifyingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are quantifyingprogressive
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quantifiessingular 3rd person
Past
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had quantifiedperfect
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had been quantifyingperfect progressive
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was quantifyingprogressive singular
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were quantifyingprogressive plural
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quantifiedparticiple
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quantifiedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of quantify
First recorded in 1830–40; from Medieval Latin quantificāre, equivalent to Latin quant(us) “how much” + -ificāre -ify
Compare meaning
How does quantify compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When you quantify something, you're putting it in numbers. If you're asked to quantify the fingers on your hand, you better say five. If you like math, this word is for you: quantifying is counting or expressing something in numbers. Oddly enough quantify often comes into play when people are trying to count things that can't really be counted. When a doctor asks you to rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10, he's asking you to quantify for your pain. Michael Jordan won 6 NBA championships, but you can't quantify what made him great: his drive and determination.
Vocabulary lists containing quantify
This Week In Culture: September 5–11, 2020
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This Week In Culture: Current Events Vocab for October 31–November 6, 2020
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"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 35
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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.
It is nearly impossible to quantify how much oil demand has been destroyed during the war.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
It is too early to quantify what Simpson has brought to the team, McVay said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2026
"Conventional simulations oversimplify real materials, while experiments reveal complexity without a clear way to quantify cause and effect," explains Prof. Kotsugi.
From Science Daily • May 18, 2026
It’s also hard to quantify rises in food prices in real-time, because economic indicators such as the consumer-price index can take months to reflect the full impact of energy shocks.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026
And there’s no way to quantify the professional gain many scientists have achieved with the help of HeLa.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
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.
