deems

Deem is a verb meaning to regard or judge in a particular way. It is primarily used in formal or legal contexts and is transitive, taking a direct object and often a complement such as to be or an adjective. Examples include, “The committee deemed the proposal acceptable” and “The act deems all residents eligible for protection.” In law and policy, deeming expresses a status or condition created by rule rather than a matter of private belief, as in “The person is deemed the owner.”

Etymology: The word derives from Old English dēman, meaning to judge or decide, and is related to the broader semantic field of judgment, including the noun doom.

Usage notes: Deem conveys an official or formal judgment rather than a casual opinion. It is common in statutes, regulations, and formal writing. The past participle deemed appears in passive constructions and in compound phrases such as “is deemed,” “were deemed,” or “deemed to be.”

Common collocations: deem necessary, deem appropriate, deem fit, deemed to be, deemed to have acted.

See also: consider, regard, judge, determine.