Judgement vs. Judgment – What’s the Difference?

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Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

Is it judgment or judgement? The truth is, both spellings are correct. They also have the same definition: the decision of a legal court or an opinion made subjectively or objectively.

I’ll show you the difference between judgement and judgment in this post. Find out which is suitable for British English and which is better for American English.

Judgement or Judgment—Which Is Correct?

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Judgment and judgement are actually alternate spellings of the same word with the same definition. It’s a noun that refers to the decision of a legal court or judge. It can also mean an opinion formed either subjectively or objectively.

Both judgment and judgement are correct standard spellings. But there is a geographical difference in their usage. Many also observe that one of the two spellings remains preferred in all locations and contexts.

British Spelling vs. American Spelling

The usage of judgment in American English is more acceptable spelling than judgement. However, UK spelling also accepts this word in their dictionaries. You should also use this spelling in legal proceedings and documents. For example:

  • You made a hasty judgment of her ethnicity.
  • The three types of judgment are a confession of judgment, consent judgment, and default judgment.

Judgement also means decision or opinion. However, this spelling is only correct in British writing. It’s also mostly used in the non-legal context, as recommended by the Oxford style guide. Do not use the spelling judgement in court documents. For example:

  • I always listen to my mother because of her reasonable judgement.

Using Judgement and Judgment in a Sentence

Here are some examples of judgment in a sentence.

  • I trust your judgment better than my own.
  • I depend on my judgment because I know myself more than anyone else.
  • The lawyers are analyzing the court’s judgment.
  • The judgment is a setback for the Scottish government’s campaign to break away from the United Kingdom. [Time]
  • From a legal perspective, the Scottish government should be disappointed with Wednesday’s Supreme Court judgment that an independence referendum cannot be held without the consent of Westminster and Whitehall. [Financial Times]

Here are some examples of judgement in a sentence.

  • I have strong faith in my best friend’s judgement.
  • Managers should have the ability to make sound judgements.
  • The play is about the last judgement.
  • However, is the court not making a political judgement here, by the judicious confusion of “political” and “practical”? [Herald]

How to Remember the Difference

If you still find everything confusing, stick to judgment. You won’t be judged in both the US or UK. It’s also the correct spelling in legal contexts.

Remember that the longer spelling is only accepted in casual and formal UK English. But the shorter, more popular spelling is accepted in all settings and situations, especially legal contexts.

Final Words on Judgment and Judgement

So is it judgment or judgement? Most of the time, the answer depends on your judgment! But the safest word to use is judgment. It’s proper in both UK and US spellings and more acceptable in legal contexts.

What other words in the English language do you find confusing?

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