assessment

American  

[uh-ses-muhnt] / əˈsɛs mənt /

noun

1. the act of assessing; appraisal; evaluation.

2. an official valuation of property for the purpose of levying a tax; an assigned value.

3. an amount assessed as payable.

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assessment British  

/ əˈsɛsmənt /

noun

1. the act of assessing, esp (in Britain) the evaluation of a student's achievement on a course

2. an amount determined as payable

3. a valuation set on taxable property, income, etc

4. evaluation; estimation

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assessment Cultural  

1. The appraisal of property for the purposes of taxation.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-assessment
  noun
• overassessment
  noun
• reassessment
  noun
• proassessment
  adjective
• misassessment
  noun

Etymology

Origin of assessment

First recorded in 1530–40; assess + -ment

Explanation

Assessment is a word you hear a lot around schools — an assessment is an evaluation, and one type of assessment is used to measure what someone knows or has learned. Tests and term papers can be assessment tools. More than just students are given assessments. You might bring your dad's plastic gnome collection to an expert for an assessment and find out it's worth all of $15.35. You might make a quick assessment of a sticky situation — say it's you, a tasty ham sandwich, and your hungry dog— and decide to run.

Example Sentences

"Gen. Donovan also led a perimeter security assessment of the naval base and discussed force protection, safety of service members and their families, and operational readiness with base officials," US Southern Command added.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

But publication of the blueprint has been delayed after the MoD reportedly asked for an extra £28bn over the next four years, following an internal assessment last year.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

The biggest effect probably will be felt in Los Angeles, which has an estimated 150 transit stops covered by the bill, according to the city’s preliminary assessment.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

Published in the journal Drugs, the review offers the most comprehensive assessment to date of where opioids help, where they do not, and where evidence remains limited.

From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026

They spoke for some time, and Mrs. Coulter was impressed by their accurate knowledge of the Church’s defenses, and their clear assessment of its leaders’ strengths.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman

Related Words

• appraisal
• estimate
• judgment