assessment
noun
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History of Assessment
Assessment has two meanings (“an amount that a person is officially required to pay” and “the act of making a judgment about something”) so distinct that one might rightfully wonder if they come from different sources. They do not.
Both are derived from related senses of assess, a verb that for over 500 years has meant “to determine the rate or amount of (a tax).” The monetary sense of assessment is tied to this oldest use of assess. By the 19th century, the verb’s object shifted slightly to produce a new meaning, “to make an official valuation of (property) for the purposes of taxation.” It was but a short step from here to the broadened sense “to make a judgment about” that is the basis of assessment “the act of making a judgment.”
Examples of assessment in a Sentence
Anna Spiegel, Axios, 17 July 2024
While automation excels at determining whether garments match certain specifications for different recyclers, human touch is still needed for more qualitative assessments on whether something is in good enough condition to reuse.
—Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 16 July 2024
But on Friday, the CDC said its risk assessment for the general public remains low.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 16 July 2024
But the two defendants made similar arguments about the funding of special counsels, though Cannon’s decision did not rely on her assessment of the legality of the funding.
—Perry Stein, Washington Post, 16 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for assessment 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'assessment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near assessment
Cite this Entry
“Assessment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assessment. Accessed 21 Jul. 2024.
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assessment
noun
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