deemed; deeming; deems
: 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
: 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
Roughly one in three births in the U.S. are C-sections, yet the World Health Organization deems the ideal rate to be between 10 and 15 percent.
—
Holly Corbett, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
Air quality in Arrowhead, Minn., is deemed unhealthy for people and animals sensitive to pollution and other airborne particles, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's AirNow page.
—Corey Williams, Arkansas Online, 31 May 2025
Downpours during the first set of Novak Djokovic’s first-round match against Mackenzie McDonald briefly halted play on several occasions, but they weren’t deemed strong enough to close the roof on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 31 May 2025
What’s more, the FDA and its advisers had previously deemed the vaccine updates small enough to not change their safety profile.
—Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deem
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Holly Corbett, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
Air quality in Arrowhead, Minn., is deemed unhealthy for people and animals sensitive to pollution and other airborne particles, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's AirNow page.
—Corey Williams, Arkansas Online, 31 May 2025
Downpours during the first set of Novak Djokovic’s first-round match against Mackenzie McDonald briefly halted play on several occasions, but they weren’t deemed strong enough to close the roof on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 31 May 2025
What’s more, the FDA and its advisers had previously deemed the vaccine updates small enough to not change their safety profile.
—Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deem
Cite this Entry
“Deem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deem. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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