assess
verbCA, US, UK /əˈsɛs/ · AU, NZ /əˈses/
Etymology From Middle English assessen, from Old French assesser, from Medieval Latin assessare, originally the frequentative of Latin assessus, past participle of assidēre, from ad (“to, towards, at”) + sedeō (“sit; settle down”). Cognate with Spanish asentar (“to settle”).
1
To determine, estimate or judge the value of; to evaluate; to estimate.
- He assessed the situation.
- An insurance adjuster will assess the damage.
1 more example
- Similarly, the Paris Agreement allowed countries to voluntarily report their military emissions, which means that we still do not have any way to accurately assess the global environmental toll of warfare.2025 November 20, Simmone Shah, “Ukraine to Claim $44bn in Climate Damages From Russia. Why War Is So Bad For Emissions”, in TIME, archived from the original on 08 Dec 2025:
2
To impose or charge, especially as punishment for an infraction.
- The referee assessed a penalty for delaying the game.
- A $10.00 late fee will be assessed on all overdue accounts.
2 more examples
- We were assessed $750 in court costs.
- Judge Cohen ruled that Blacklock, McKenzie and Benschop must make restitution for the $50.29 damage and that each must pay a mandatory $40.00 surcharge assessed to anybody who is found guilty of a misdemeanor in New York state.1984 February 4, Christine Guilfoy, “Three Seneca Women Get 89 Days in Jail”, in Gay Community News, volume 11, number 28, page 1:
3
To calculate and demand (the tax money due) from a person or entity.
- Once you've submitted a tax return, the Tax Department will assess the amount of tax you still owe.
- Derived terms
- assessability, assessable, assessably, assessee, assessible, assessingly, assessment, misassess, nonassessed, overassess, overassessment, preassess, reassess, risk-assess, risk-assessed, unassessability, unassessable, unassessably, unassessed, underassess, underassessment
- Related terms
- assessor