evaluation
Americannoun
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an act or instance of evaluating or appraising.
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(especially in medicine) a diagnosis or diagnostic study of a physical or mental condition.
Other Word Forms
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.
But that evaluation is “for beyond the next several quarters,” a senior Treasury official said.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
The agency first approved mifepristone in 2000, after evaluation of rigorous studies demonstrating its effectiveness and safety.
From Slate • May 4, 2026
“We had planned for her to come out about that time anyway,” Fever coach Stephanie White said after the game, adding that Clark didn’t need additional evaluation.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
To test this idea, the researchers created several new evaluation scenarios.
From Science Daily • Apr. 30, 2026
My mom and the doctor had no idea why I was smiling as we rolled into the waiting room while he wrote up his evaluation of me.
From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper
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.
