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
- quantifiable adjective
- quantification noun
- unquantified adjective
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.
Companies with the biggest fuel bills may have sold off more sharply because they or the analysts covering them have been quicker to quantify the damage and discuss some dark scenarios.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
The government is also working on a critical mineral policy and planning a new survey to map and quantify its rare earth mineral resources, he said.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
It works by ionizing molecules, meaning giving them an electric charge, and then measuring their mass-to-charge ratio to identify and quantify them.
From Science Daily • Mar. 25, 2026
JPMorgan says the precise impact is difficult to quantify, but the ripples are being felt in many different ways in the industry.
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
That meant that you calculated the cost of a public health project or medical procedure and tried to quantify its effectiveness.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
