judgement

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The ability to weigh facts and make sensible decisions or form sound opinions.

   Grammar: Usually uncountable: she has good judgement. You do not say a good judgement for this sense.

   Patterns

   • have good judgement
   • use your judgement
   • trust someone's judgement

   Nobody doubted her judgement, so the team followed her advice.

   Use your own judgement about whether to take an umbrella.

   His poor judgement cost the company a great deal of money.

2. 2nouncountable

   An opinion or conclusion that you form after thinking about something, often about whether it is good or bad.

   Grammar: Countable: make a judgement, pass judgement on someone.

   Patterns

   • make a judgement about something
   • pass judgement on someone

   It is too early to make a judgement about the new policy.

   Try not to pass judgement on people before you know their story.

   Her judgement of the film was far kinder than the critics'.

3. 3nouncountablelegal

   A decision made by a court or judge, especially at the end of a trial.

   Grammar: Countable and often spelled judgment in legal writing: the court gave judgement.

   Patterns

   • the court's judgement
   • give judgement

   The court will give its judgement on Friday.

   The judgement went against the landlord.

Word forms

Common combinations

good judgement

Good judgement is the most important skill for a manager.

error of judgement

Leaving the gate open was an error of judgement.

cloud someone's judgement

Anger can cloud your judgement.

pass judgement

I am not here to pass judgement on anyone.

reserve judgement

I will reserve judgement until I see the full report.

in my judgement

In my judgement, the plan is too risky.

Synonyms and how they differ

discernment

Discernment stresses the ability to see small differences in quality, while judgement covers decision-making more broadly.

opinion

An opinion is simply what you think, while a judgement suggests careful weighing before you decide.

verdict

A verdict is a formal decision, especially of a jury, while judgement can also mean everyday good sense.

wisdom

Wisdom suggests deep experience over time, while judgement is the practical ability to decide in a particular situation.

Opposites

Word family

judge verb

to form an opinion or decide

judge noun

a person who decides cases in a court

judgmental adjective

too quick to criticize others

misjudge verb

to form a wrong opinion

prejudge verb

to decide before knowing the facts

Commonly confused: judgement or judgment?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “judgement”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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