Word
deem
US/ˈdim/
UK/dˈiːm/
Definition
v. to have a specific opinion about something or to judge it in a certain way. You use this when you make a formal decision about whether something is good, bad, or necessary.
v. to consider or judge something in a specified way. Transitive; frequently used in the passive voice to express an official or collective opinion.
Examples
“The committee will deem the project successful if it meets the deadline.”
“The local authorities may deem the building unsafe for habitation if the structural repairs are not completed by winter.”
“While the initial proposal was rejected, the board may yet deem the revised strategy worthy of investment provided the projected returns remain stable.”
Examples
simple
“The committee will deem the project successful if it meets the deadline.”
contextual
“The local authorities may deem the building unsafe for habitation if the structural repairs are not completed by winter.”
complex
“While the initial proposal was rejected, the board may yet deem the revised strategy worthy of investment provided the projected returns remain stable.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “deem” in context.
Verb
01. deem acceptable
“The committee will review the proposal and decide if the proposed budget is deemed acceptable.”
verb + adj
02. deem important
“It is essential to highlight the factors that the board deems important for future growth.”
verb + adj
03. deem necessary
“The government will take whatever actions they deem necessary to ensure public safety.”
verb + adj
Usage
The verb is transitive and often followed by an object and an adjective (e.g., 'deem it necessary').
Pitfall
they deem it as necessary
they deem it necessary
Unlike 'regard' or 'describe', 'deem' does not take the word 'as' before the adjective or noun complement.
Real-World Examples
“He refers to rehab as “the slammer” and deems it a waste of time in the mocking Already Gone .” “Historians chase after and capture the things they deem significant.” “O’Connor transforms seamlessly as Bonaparte who hardens, bout by bout, with a resolve he deems fitting for the desperate 30s.” Etymology
From Middle English dēmen (“to judge; to criticize, condemn; to impose a penalty on, sentence; to direct, order; to believe, think, deem”), from Old English dēman (“to decide, decree, deem”), from Proto-West Germanic dōmijan, from Proto-Germanic dōmijaną (“to judge, think”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- (“to set, put”). The word is cognate with Danish and Norwegian Bokmål dømme (“to judge”), Dutch doemen (“to condemn, foredoom”), North Frisian dema (“to judge, recognise”), Norwegian Nynorsk døma (“to judge”), Swedish döma (“to judge, sentence, condemn”), Finnish tuomita (“to judge”). It is also related to doom.
From Middle English deme, from the verb (see above).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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