deem
Americanverb (used without object)
-
deems,
present (3rd person singular)
-
deemed,
past participle, past
-
deeming
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
deems,
present (3rd person singular)
-
deemed,
past participle, past
-
deeming
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
deemsimple
-
deemssimple
-
have deemedperfect
-
has deemedperfect
-
am deemingprogressive
-
are deemingprogressive
-
is deemingprogressive
-
have been deemingperfect progressive
-
has been deemingperfect progressive
Past
-
deemedsimple
-
had deemedperfect
-
was deemingprogressive
-
were deemingprogressive
-
had been deemingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of deem
First recorded before 900; Middle English demen, Old English dēman; cognate with Gothic dōmjan, Old High German tuomen; see doom
Explanation
To deem is a verb that means to view as or judge. Your parents or boss may deem something necessary that you don't, like coming home by midnight or working late. Deem comes from the Old English word, deman — meaning "act as a judge." If you deem something, you essentially become the judge of whether it has a characteristic. For example, if you deem your little sister's jokes to be too ridiculous to listen to, you will probably just walk away.
Vocabulary lists containing deem
Vocabulary from the Introduction to "Reality is Broken" by Jane McGonigal
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Emancipation Proclamation (1862)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Beowulf vocabulary
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"The family are very interested to know what evidence was provided or what evidence wasn't provided by the prison service in order for the court to deem it not substantial," he said.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
But some experts say they could also be a statement on which pockets of the AI hardware sector investors deem resilient.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
“They deem the offer to be in the best interest of the Company, its shareholders, employees and other stakeholders,” Delivery Hero said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
The agency said that it alerted the appropriate Illinois law enforcement agency of its findings, and the Illinois agency did not deem it to be an actionable threat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
Then when I deem that my education is complete I wish to start off being a fine lawyer like the one who defended the Scottsboro Boys.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
![]()
Now, the group deems it the highlight of the day.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
"This is a message that Pyongyang is closely watching the upcoming drills and could stage a provocation if it deems one necessary."
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
Singapore has strict rules on public speech and what it deems as demonstrations, arguing that it is necessary to regulate them to protect social harmony.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
Cloud is another business Lapping deems ripe for disintermediation by China.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
The term sex refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women, while gender refers to society’s constructed roles, expectations, behaviors, attitudes, and activities that it deems appropriate for men and women.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
![]()
In Carney’s first year in power, he set up an office to expedite the regulatory review of projects deemed to be in the national interest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
She was deemed fit enough to enter her pleas.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
That decision was deemed a mistake from certain circles, given they are two of English football's most creative players.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
The company disclosed six new examples of misaligned behavior, all of which it said would have been deemed eligible for disclosure or investigation under the framework.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
This animal was deemed to have met the Department's criteria, and was therefore released this morning into its native habitat.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
![]()
District Judge Rita F. Lin of the Northern District of California said in her decision that the government had illegally retaliated against Anthropic, deeming it a supply-chain risk “for constitutionally protected expressive activities.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026
He faces opposition in particular from UEFA, which on Thursday stood by its threat to boycott the World Cups, deeming the mere withdrawal of the controversial plan to be insufficient.
From Barron's ● Aug. 8, 2026
The three judges also found that the original judge had erred by not deeming Tickle's removal from the app based on Grover's "first visual review" of the profile picture as direct discrimination.
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
Raman and Pratt are right in deeming Bass the old guard of a beat-up city — but the old guard didn’t get there without knowing how to win.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2026
I watched the news unfold on TV with my mom: Trayvon, a black high school student, was walking home from a convenience store when a man named George Zimmerman began following him, deeming him suspicious.
From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.