deem

verb

deemed; deeming; deems

transitive verb

: to come to think or judge : consider
deemed it wise to go slow
those whom she deemed worthy
a movie deemed appropriate for all ages

intransitive verb

: to have an opinion : believe

Did you know?

Originally, deem meant "to legally condemn." The word is still frequently used in contexts pertaining to the law but with the general meaning "to judge" or "to decide after inquiry and deliberation," as in "The act was deemed unlawful" or "The defendant is deemed to have agreed to the contract." Outside of the law, deem usually means simply "to consider."

Examples of deem in a Sentence

The principal will take whatever action she deems appropriate in this case. I deem it fitting that we mark this solemn occasion with a day of prayer and thanksgiving.
Recent Examples on the Web The scrap earned both men a bonus as they were deemed the Fight of the Night on a card with just two stoppages. Brian Mazique, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024 Under the conservative administration of former President Park Geun-hye, the daughter of another military dictator, Han was placed on a blacklist in 2014, barring her from receiving government support, along with other creatives deemed to be ideologically undesirable. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2024 If a new property deemed sensitive is developed within 1,000 feet of an existing advertisement, companies will have 60 days to remove it. Dana Afana, Detroit Free Press, 19 Oct. 2024 Blink, what organizers deem the nation's largest immersive art festival, occurs roughly every two years. Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deem 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deem.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English demen, from Old English dēman; akin to Old High German tuomen to judge, Old English dōm doom

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of deem was before the 12th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near deem

Cite this Entry

“Deem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deem. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

deem

verb
: to have an opinion : believe, suppose
deemed it wise to go slow

More from Merriam-Webster on deem

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!