judgment
/ˈdʒʌdʒ.mənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdʒʌdʒ.mənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈjəj-mənt/ (ame, mw)
judgment — noun
- judgmentsingular
- judgmentsplural
1. the natural or learned ability to understand situations and people clearly and t
the natural or learned ability to understand situations and people clearly and to make sensible decisions about them
Sora showed good judgment by waiting for more information before making a decision.
Hugo's poor judgment in choosing business partners cost the company nearly half its yearly profit.
poor judgment + business/financial context
Making good career choices requires both careful research and sound personal judgment.
Evelyn has excellent judgment of character — she knew João would lead a team well.
When you face an emergency, you have to trust your own judgment and act quickly.
- discernment
more formal; emphasizes the ability to detect fine distinctions that others miss
- wisdom
broader; includes deep life experience and understanding, not just decision-making
- prudence
stresses careful, cautious decision-making with an eye on future risks
- foolishness
lack of good sense or judgment
- indiscretion
lack of caution or good judgment in speech or action
文法句型
judgment + of + noun phrase
adjective + judgment
possessive + judgment
用法筆記
Often modified by an adjective (good, poor, sound, excellent, bad). Frequently appears in phrases such as 'use your judgment', 'trust someone's judgment', or 'an error of judgment'.
常見錯誤
2. a personal conclusion reached after carefully weighing the relevant facts or evi
a personal conclusion reached after carefully weighing the relevant facts or evidence about a person, situation, or issue
After interviewing three candidates, Hugo made his judgment about who to hire.
make a judgment about [topic]
The health committee's judgment was that the restaurant had broken several safety rules.
Parents often struggle to make a fair judgment when their children disagree with each other.
A judgment about how new rules affect small businesses is still too early to make.
Adaeze formed her own judgment after reading both sides of the argument very carefully.
- assessment
more formal; often used in professional or academic contexts
- evaluation
systematic and detailed; implies examining evidence
- verdict
draws on the legal sense; a final, decisive opinion
文法句型
make a judgment about/on something
form a judgment
reach a judgment
judgment that + clause
用法筆記
This sense refers to the opinion or conclusion itself (the result of thinking), not the ability to think well. Distinguish from sense 1: 'She has good judgment' (ability) vs 'She made a good judgment' (specific opinion).
常見錯誤
3. used in the fixed phrase 'in someone's judgment' to introduce what someone think
used in the fixed phrase 'in someone's judgment' to introduce what someone thinks or believes about a matter, often when expressing an opinion firmly
In my judgment, the company should focus on improving customer service first.
In Élise's judgment, the film was far too long and the story hard to follow.
in [person]'s judgment + opinion phrase
In the teacher's judgment, the student's project showed remarkable effort and improvement.
In Rania's judgment, it would be better to postpone the event until next month.
- in someone's opinion
less formal; the most common everyday alternative
- from someone's perspective
emphasizes a particular point of view or set of experiences
- as someone sees it
informal; focuses on personal viewpoint
文法句型
in + possessive + judgment
用法筆記
This sense only appears in the fixed phrase 'in someone's judgment'. It is more formal than 'in my opinion' and is common in professional writing, reports, and formal discussions. The judgment belongs to the speaker's reasoned view, not a casual preference.
常見錯誤
4. an official decision made by a judge or a court of law, stating whether someone
an official decision made by a judge or a court of law, stating whether someone is legally responsible or what should happen in a legal dispute
The judge will deliver her judgment in the fraud case next Monday morning.
The Supreme Court's judgment affected the rights of thousands of workers across the country.
A judgment was issued against the company for safety failures at its factory.
Pim's lawyer plans to appeal the judgment to a higher court next month.
The court's judgment required the company to repay what it had taken unfairly from customers.
文法句型
deliver a judgment
pass judgment
appeal a judgment
judgment against someone
用法筆記
In legal contexts, 'judgment' is the formal decision of a court. A 'sentence' is the specific punishment in a criminal case — a judgment can be about liability without involving punishment. In British English the spelling 'judgement' is common for legal contexts; 'judgment' is standard in American English.