Onbemeten

Onbemeten is a Dutch term used to describe something that has not been measured or quantified. The word is formed from the negating prefix on- and the verb meten (to measure), and it is typically rendered in English as unmeasured or unquantified. In Dutch discourse, onbemeten is most likely to appear in discussions of costs, benefits, or values that lie outside conventional metrics.

In practice, onbemeten is employed in economics, management, and social debate to refer to effects that are not captured by standard accounting or data collection. Examples include intangible benefits such as brand goodwill, social impact, or long-term strategic value, as well as phenomena that qualitative methods are better suited to explore. The term can also appear in philosophical or ethical discussions to denote aspects of experience or meaning that resist numerical appraisal.

Usage of onbemeten remains relatively limited outside Dutch-language contexts, and it is not a standard term in English-language economics or research. When translating or communicating across languages, speakers often substitute with phrases like “unmeasured costs,” “intangible value,” or “qualitative impact,” depending on the context.

See also: intangible assets, externalities, qualitative research, measurement in economics, and qualitative indicators.