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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The incident was later deemed a swatting call, a when a fake 911 report is made in order to activate police response. Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 10 Apr. 2025 The problem is that the only consistent feature of Brighton’s season so far has been inconsistency, which extends to what are deemed to be easier, challenging or difficult fixtures in the Opta model. Andy Naylor, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025 Regardless if they’re officially deemed Masters collections or not, golf brands and fans are well aware that anything floral and/or pink, green and yellow is an ode to professional golf’s first major and the unofficial start to the amateur golf season. Michael Loré, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025 Congress couldn't agree last year on whether to ban federal contracts with certain Chinese biotech research and equipment firms deemed national security threats. Maya Goldman, Axios, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deem

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

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Cite this Entry

“Deem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deem. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

deem

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

More from Merriam-Webster on deem

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