assess

American  

[uh-ses] / əˈsɛs /

verb (used with object)

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

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

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

Bats are protected by law in the U.K.—some species are at risk of extinction—and so developers have to assess the environmental impacts of a new road on bats and take measures to mitigate them.

From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026

President Wiejia Jiang of CBS News said the organization’s board would meet to assess what had happened.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2026

But Lululemon’s stock sold off sharply on the announcement, as analysts noted it was difficult to assess what role O’Neill might have had in Nike’s current struggles of its own.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 25, 2026

It also called for the creation of a council to assess the risks and benefits of proposed data centers and provide input for planners.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

When the morning fog burned off and the sun was high, the beauty queens and the accidental pirates trudged through the waters to the beached ship to assess the damage.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

Related Words

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