assess

/əˈsɛs/

//əˈsɛs// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"assess" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“assess” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,327 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#6,327
frequency rank, English
6
letters
4
tracked misspellings
14
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To determine, estimate or judge the value of; to evaluate; to estimate.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

assess vs asset
67% similar
assess vs assets
83% similar
assess vs assist
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for assess
PropertyValue
Headwordassess
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/əˈsɛs/
Letters6
Frequency rank#6,327
Misspellings tracked4
Confusable pairs14
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “assess” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). assess lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for assess is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈsɛs/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,327 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 4 likely wrong-spelling variants for assess, with forms such as "asess", "asesss", and "assses". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 14 confusable-pair relationships, "asset", "assets", "assist", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English assessen, from Old French assesser, from Medieval Latin assessare, originally the frequentative of Latin assessus, past participle of assidēre, from ad (“to, towards, at”) + sedeō (“sit; settle down”). Cognate with Spanish asentar (“to s… The correct English form is assess, spelled A-S-S-E-S-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    To determine, estimate or judge the value of; to evaluate; to estimate.
  2. 2
    To impose or charge, especially as punishment for an infraction.
  3. 3
    To calculate and demand (the tax money due) from a person or entity.

Etymology

From Middle English assessen, from Old French assesser, from Medieval Latin assessare, originally the frequentative of Latin assessus, past participle of assidēre, from ad (“to, towards, at”) + sedeō (“sit; settle down”). Cognate with Spanish asentar (“to settle”).

This word in other languages

evaluar(Español)estimer(Français)schätzen(Deutsch)estimar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: asess,asesss,assses,sasess

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of assess - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

asess1asesss2assses2sasess2
Edit distance from "assess"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "assess"?
"assess" is spelled A-S-S-E-S-S. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈsɛs/.
What does "assess" mean?
As a verb, "assess" means: To determine, estimate or judge the value of; to evaluate; to estimate.
What words are commonly confused with "assess"?
"assess" is commonly confused with "asset", "assets", "assist". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "assess"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "assess" is /əˈsɛs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "assess"?
From Middle English assessen, from Old French assesser, from Medieval Latin assessare, originally the frequentative of Latin assessus, past participle of assidēre, from ad (“to, towards, at”) + sedeō (“sit; settle down”). Cognate with Spanish asen... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “assess”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-S-S-E-S-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈsɛs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “asset” - see the side-by-side comparison. assess vs asset
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list