Consider vs Deem

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Consider

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 verb

Deem

Formal Beyond 10,000 (less common) C1 verb

Most formal: Deem Most common: Consider

	Consider	Deem
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //kənˈsɪdə// 🇺🇸 //kənˈsɪdər//	🇬🇧 /["/diːm/","/diːmz/","/diːmd/","/ˈdiːmɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/diːm/","/diːmz/","/diːmd/","/ˈdiːmɪŋ/"]/
Meaning	To think about something carefully.	to think of or consider something in a certain way
Example	I will consider your suggestion.	The evening was deemed a great success.
Register	Neutral	Formal
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR level	A2	C1
Part of speech	verb	verb
Collocations	consider carefully, consider an option, consider a possibility	deem necessary, deem appropriate, deem important, deem to be, deem unsuitable
Antonyms	ignore, dismiss, overlook	disregard, dismiss, neglect
Common mistakes	Confuse with 'considering' which is a different form., Omit the object, e.g., saying 'Consider' without specifying what., Mix with 'contemplate', which has a deeper meaning.	Confused with 'consider' or 'believe', 'Deem' is often incorrectly used without specifying an object, Inverted subject-object order mistakes, such as 'I deem her informed' instead of 'I deem her to be informed.'
Usage notes	Use 'consider' when you are thinking about options or possibilities. It’s appropriate in both spoken and written contexts, but may sound too formal in casual conversations.	Used in formal contexts, such as legal documents or academic writing. It's not appropriate in casual conversation.

See it in real clips

From here on in, you can consider my ass retired.

Breaking Bad › S1 E5

Consider this your first and last warning.

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

You consider yourself lucky, I'm only busting you to private.

From here on in, you can consider my ass retired.

Breaking Bad › S1 E5

Consider this your first and last warning.

Consider

Frequently asked questions: Consider vs Deem

What's the difference between Consider and Deem?

Consider: To think about something carefully. Deem: to think of or consider something in a certain way

Which is more formal: Consider and Deem?

Deem is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Consider and Deem?

Consider is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Consider and Deem?

Deem is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Consider and Deem the same CEFR level?

Consider: A2, Deem: C1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Consider and Deem?

Consider: verb, Deem: verb.

Can you show an example of each?

Consider: I will consider your suggestion. Deem: The evening was deemed a great success.

Can I use Consider and Deem interchangeably?

Not always. Consider and Deem are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.