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• judgment
  judgment

  noun

  an act or instance of judging.
• Judgment
  Judgment

  noun

  the estimate by God of the ultimate worthiness or unworthiness of the individual (the Particular Judgment ) or of all mankind (the General Judgment or Last Judgment )

judgment

American  

[juhj-muhnt] / ˈdʒʌdʒ mənt /

especially British, judgement

noun

judgments plural

1. an act or instance of judging.

   Synonyms:

   determination

2. the ability to judge, make a decision, or form an opinion objectively, authoritatively, and wisely, especially in matters affecting action; good sense; discretion.

   a man of sound judgment.

   Synonyms:

   prudence, intelligence, wisdom, sagacity, perspicacity, discernment, discrimination

3. the demonstration or exercise of such ability or capacity.

   The major was decorated for the judgment he showed under fire.

4. the forming of an opinion, estimate, notion, or conclusion, as from circumstances presented to the mind.

   Our judgment as to the cause of his failure must rest on the evidence.

5. the opinion formed.

   He regretted his hasty judgment.

6. Law.

   1. a judicial decision given by a judge or court.

   2. the obligation, especially a debt, arising from a judicial decision.

   3. the certificate embodying such a decision and issued against the obligor, especially a debtor.

7. a misfortune regarded as inflicted by divine sentence, as for sin.

8. Theology. Judgment. Last Judgment.

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judgment ¹ British  

/ ˈdʒʌdʒmənt /

noun

1. the faculty of being able to make critical distinctions and achieve a balanced viewpoint; discernment

2. 1. the decision or verdict pronounced by a court of law

   2. an obligation arising as a result of such a decision or verdict, such as a debt

   3. the document recording such a decision or verdict

   4. ( as modifier )

      a judgment debtor

3. the formal decision of one or more judges at a contest or competition

4. a particular decision or opinion formed in a case in dispute or doubt

5. an estimation

   a good judgment of distance

6. criticism or censure

7. logic

   1. the act of establishing a relation between two or more terms, esp as an affirmation or denial

   2. the expression of such a relation

8. contrary to a more appropriate or preferred course of action

9. 1. to preside as judge

   2. to assume the position of critic

10. in someone's opinion

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Judgment ² British  

/ ˈdʒʌdʒmənt /

noun

1. the estimate by God of the ultimate worthiness or unworthiness of the individual (the Particular Judgment ) or of all mankind (the General Judgment or Last Judgment )

2. God's subsequent decision determining the final destinies of all individuals

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judgment Idioms  

1. see against one's better judgment; snap judgment.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interjudgment
  noun
• rejudgment
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• judgments
  plural

Etymology

Origin of judgment

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English jug(g)ement, from Old French jugement, from juge- (stem of jugier “to judge”; see judge) + -ment -ment

Explanation

Judgment is the mental ability to understand something, form an opinion and reach a decision. You have great judgment of character, which is why your friends ask you to meet their significant others when things get serious. A decision is a judgment, unless you let a coin toss decide for you. Use your judgment to determine how much salt to add, or the safest way home. In court, the judge's official decision is called the judgment, and if you condemn someone, even if you're not a judge, we say you've "passed judgment." If you need to explain many parts of the story before your innocence will be clear, ask your listener not to rush to judgment.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

judgment Judgment judgments

It turns out that managing cash flow, planning for retirement and building, and maintaining a diversified portfolio requires a healthy dose of human judgment.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

A preoccupation with what others have on their shelves might be purely aesthetic, but often conveys something more, like a sense of judgment.

From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026

District Judge William Alsup, who initially pronounced his judgment in June last year, offered a partial victory for the authors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

Winning a judgment in Miami federal court doesn’t mean that dispossessed families will get their assets back.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

“Fear of the judgment seized my soul,” she wrote.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

And when the RSF finally took over the city in October last year, "It was like the Day of Judgment on Earth," he says.

From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2026

They can use the Judgment Fund, a permanent, uncapped pot of money approved by Congress.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 1, 2026

Judgment also hinges on certain cultural and moral instincts, which helps explain why opinions about wealth are so polarized.

From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2025

A trio of our finest district court judges, and their unflinching battle for equal justice, is the subject of Reynolds Holding’s new book Better Judgment: How Three Judges Are Bringing Justice Back to the Courts.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2025

Two weeks seemed to me ample time to prepare, but the company behaved as though Judgment Day were almost upon them and they must put not only their parts but their entire lives in order.

From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood

Using the Ministry of Justice's online judgments database, the company identified 517 employment tribunal cases mentioning neurodivergent conditions in 2025, up from 265 in 2020.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

U.S. court judgments don’t guarantee that families will recover assets, as the U.S. can’t force Cuba to return the seized properties.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

"It is particularly painful to hear peremptory judgments from people who have never issued combat orders, never taken responsibility for the lives of personnel," commander Oleg Apostol said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

Denning describes culture as encompassing values, norms, judgments, history, communities, moods, and even relationships involving power and care.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

Snap judgments and rapid cognition take place behind a locked door.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• analysis
• appraisal
• assessment
• award
• belief
• conclusion
• conviction
• decree
• determination
• evaluation
• finding
• idea
• inquiry
• observation
• opinion
• order
• resolution
• result
• review
• ruling