assess

verb

ə-ˈses How to pronounce assess (audio)
Definition of assessnext
1
as in to impose
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty the utility company will assess a fee if your payment is late

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to estimate
to make an approximate or tentative judgment regarding let's step back and assess the situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb assess differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of assess are appraise, estimate, evaluate, rate, and value. While all these words mean "to judge something with respect to its worth or significance," assess implies a critical appraisal for the purpose of understanding or interpreting, or as a guide in taking action.

officials are trying to assess the damage

Where would appraise be a reasonable alternative to assess?

Although the words appraise and assess have much in common, appraise commonly implies the fixing by an expert of the monetary worth of a thing, but it may be used of any critical judgment.

having their house appraised

When would estimate be a good substitute for assess?

In some situations, the words estimate and assess are roughly equivalent. However, estimate implies a judgment, considered or casual, that precedes or takes the place of actual measuring or counting or testing out.

estimated the crowd at two hundred

When is evaluate a more appropriate choice than assess?

The synonyms evaluate and assess are sometimes interchangeable, but evaluate suggests an attempt to determine relative or intrinsic worth in terms other than monetary.

evaluate a student's work

How do rate and estimate relate to one another, in the sense of assess?

Rate adds to estimate the notion of placing a thing according to a scale of values.

a highly rated restaurant

How are the words value and appraise related as synonyms of assess?

Value equals appraise but without implying expertness of judgment.

a watercolor valued by the donor at $500

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of assess The capital allocation committee is also tasked with assessing international expansion. —Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 12 Apr. 2025 As Woods paced back and forth on the green to assess his options for the shot, the tension was building. —Don Riddell, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2025 Steel Nomad's regular and Light subtests focus on APIs more commonly used for game development, like Metal and DirectX 12, to assess gaming geometry and particle effects. —PC Magazine, 12 Apr. 2025 Noland said the railroad is assessing fines as an incentive for the design/build contractor to finish its work as soon as possible. —Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for assess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assess
  1. impose
  2. estimate
  3. charge
  4. value
  5. evaluate
Verb
  • Trump defended his decision to impose tariffs, saying that the trade situation with U.S. partners was unsustainable and that someone needed to act.
    — Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Trump has also vowed to impose tariffs on a slew of other industries, including lumber, pharmaceuticals and copper.
    — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of impose
Verb
  • The Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that the rollback of these regulations could add up to $3.9 billion to the federal deficit over ten years.
    — Robert W. Wood, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • For 2023 and 2024, the property owners owed $2 million in unpaid property taxes and the total debt attributed to the property’s value was estimated at 15.7%, according to the treasurer’s office.
    — Samantha Moilanen, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of estimate
Verb
  • James River Phillips, 20, was arrested Thursday by the FBI Cincinnati Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and charged with possession of an unregistered gun and possession of a destructive device.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Keep your access fully charged for just $2.50 $1 per month for one year.
    — Molly Taft, Wired News, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of charge
Verb
  • Ultimately, the new police chief must value community, embrace diversity, and promote a responsive, inclusive approach to law enforcement.
    — Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
  • No one is taking Terry Rozier at this point, Jaime Jaquez Jr. certainly is a diminished asset and Duncan Robinson likely would be most valued as an expiring contract.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2025
Definition of value
Verb
  • By dividing deals into cohorts, founders give investors the ability to evaluate the scalability of their business and the alignment of their pipeline with long-term strategy.
    — Ilona Limonta-Volkova, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
  • When a manager can reference a Word Picture mid-coaching session or use it to evaluate a candidate in an interview, that’s when values start driving performance.
    — Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of evaluate

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asses
assess
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Cite this Entry

“Assess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assess. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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