WordGarden.ioevaluate
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɪvˈæljuːˌeɪt/
US
- /iˈvæljuˌeɪt/
Meanings
Verb
to judge the quality, value, importance, or condition of something
to calculate or determine the value of an expression, function, or program result
Beyond the definition
To evaluate something is to look at it carefully and decide what you think about it. You might think about its good points, bad points, importance, or value. Imagine a food critic looking at a new restaurant, or a teacher checking a student's work. It is more than just noticing something; it means making a judgment for a reason. You might evaluate different job offers before choosing one, thinking about salary, benefits, and company culture. Sometimes this happens in a formal setting, like a yearly work review, but it also happens in everyday life when we make small and big decisions.
To evaluate means to look at something carefully so you can judge its quality, value, importance, or effectiveness. It is a process of examining something - an object, situation, plan, idea, or even a person's work - and then deciding what it means or how good it is. Unlike simply observing something, evaluation involves using reasons or standards and then making a judgment based on them.
You might evaluate the evidence presented in a court case to decide if someone is guilty, or evaluate the potential risks and rewards of an investment before putting your money into it. In education, teachers evaluate student learning through tests, projects, and class participation. Businesses evaluate their marketing campaigns to see what's working and what isn't.
The context often dictates how something is evaluated. A scientist might evaluate a hypothesis through experiments, while an art critic might evaluate a painting based on its composition, color, and emotional impact. Sometimes evaluation leads to a numerical score or rating, like a Yelp review, but it can also be more descriptive: a thoughtful judgment with clear reasons behind it.
The word comes from the French "evaluer," meaning "to determine the value of." So the next time you weigh your options, consider the pros and cons, or form an opinion based on evidence, remember that you are evaluating.
Examples
- 1
Hiring
The hiring team will evaluate each candidate after the final interview.
- 2
Decision-making
We need to evaluate all our options before we make a final decision.
- 3
Course feedback
At the end of the course, students evaluate the course online.
- 4
Medical treatment
Doctors are evaluating whether the new treatment is helping patients.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Business risk
The company evaluated the risks before entering the market.
- 6
Performance review
Employees are evaluated on both speed and accuracy.
- Patternevaluate someone on + criteria
judge them according to those points
- 7
Limited evidence
It's hard to evaluate a restaurant from one bad meal.
- Patternevaluate something from + evidence
judge it using that information
- 8
Personal priorities
He took some time off to evaluate his priorities.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- evaluateverb
Forms
- evaluatedpast tenseverb
- evaluating-ing formverb
- evaluatesverb