quantify
Americanverb (used with object)
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to determine, indicate, or express the quantity of.
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Logic. to make explicit the quantity of (a proposition).
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to give quantity to (something regarded as having only quality).
verb
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to discover or express the quantity of
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logic to specify the quantity of (a term) by using a quantifier, such as all, some, or no
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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quantifysimple
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quantifiessimple
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have quantifiedperfect
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has quantifiedperfect
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am quantifyingprogressive
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are quantifyingprogressive
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is quantifyingprogressive
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have been quantifyingperfect progressive
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has been quantifyingperfect progressive
Past
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quantifiedsimple
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had quantifiedperfect
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was quantifyingprogressive
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were quantifyingprogressive
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had been quantifyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of quantify
First recorded in 1830–40; from Medieval Latin quantificāre, equivalent to Latin quant(us) “how much” + -ificāre -ify
Compare meaning
How does quantify compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When you quantify something, you're putting it in numbers. If you're asked to quantify the fingers on your hand, you better say five. If you like math, this word is for you: quantifying is counting or expressing something in numbers. Oddly enough quantify often comes into play when people are trying to count things that can't really be counted. When a doctor asks you to rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10, he's asking you to quantify for your pain. Michael Jordan won 6 NBA championships, but you can't quantify what made him great: his drive and determination.
Vocabulary lists containing quantify
This Week In Culture: September 5–11, 2020
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This Week In Culture: Current Events Vocab for October 31–November 6, 2020
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"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 35
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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.
Both sides' refusal to apply pressure when the opposition attempted to tease them out is best illustrated by a statistic that looks to quantify how intensely a team presses.
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026
However, those figures can only be rough estimates, given that nearly all retailers have declined to quantify their tariff refund impact.
From Barron's • Jun. 25, 2026
The benefit is easier to quantify than the potential gain from AI.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026
The transition team comes to them ahead of time and says, “Could you quantify all the DEI programs so we can know what those are?”
From Slate • Jun. 17, 2026
It bothers Mira that she cannot quantify this scientifically, that she cannot prove it one way or another.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
