deem

verb

ˈdēm 

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."

Synonyms

• allow [chiefly Southern & Midland]
• believe
• conceive
• consider
• esteem
• feel
• figure
• guess
• hold
• imagine
• judge
• reckon [chiefly dialect]
• suppose
• think

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

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

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

deem

verb

ˈdēm 

: to have an opinion : believe, suppose

deemed it wise to go slow