evaluation
Americannoun
-
an act or instance of evaluating or appraising.
-
(especially in medicine) a diagnosis or diagnostic study of a physical or mental condition.
Other Word Forms
- misevaluation noun
- nonevaluation noun
- overevaluation noun
- reevaluation noun
- self-evaluation noun
Etymology
Origin of evaluation
From the French word évaluation, dating back to 1745–55. See e- 1, valuation
Compare meaning
How does evaluation compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
An evaluation is an appraisal of something to determine its worth or fitness. For example, before you start an exercise program, get a medical evaluation, to make sure you're able to handle the activity. At the heart of the noun evaluation is the root word value, which means "worth." So an evaluation is an examination to find the worth of something. We do this every day — maybe making an evaluation of the prices in a store to decide whether or not to shop there. We might get an appraisal of our property, which is an evaluation to determine its worth in preparation for taking out a mortgage. Evaluation is vital in planning our lives.
Vocabulary lists containing evaluation
Out of My Mind
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ion, -tion, -ation
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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.
The Pentagon has recognized for years that open-source solutions deserve evaluation on equal footing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
Brian Jabarian, a University of Chicago economist who conducted a rigorous independent evaluation of A.I. detectors, told me flatly, “This narrative that we shouldn’t use A.I. detection doesn’t seem to hold anymore.”
From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026
It does not disclose details regarding its adhesives and wetness indicator, however, according to Consumer Report’s evaluation.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
"As well as impacting assessment of the quality of education, disrupted inspections have also impacted evaluation of child protection arrangements, increasing the risk that vulnerable pupils were not receiving adequate support."
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
She reported to the clinic the next day for the most thorough medical evaluation she had ever had.
From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson
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.
