Judgement or Judgment
Judgment vs. Judgement
Both judgment and judgement are correct spellings of the same word, meaning the act or process of forming an opinion, making a decision, or issuing a legal ruling.
The difference lies purely in regional preference and context.
American English
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Preferred spelling:
judgment(always) -
Used in all contexts — general, formal, and legal.
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Examples:
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Use sound judgment when making decisions.
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The court issued its final judgment.
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British English (and Commonwealth)
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Both spellings are accepted:
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judgement— common in everyday/general use. -
judgment— standard in legal and formal contexts.
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Examples:
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In my judgement, the plan will fail.
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The High Court delivered its judgment.
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Key Rule of Thumb
| Context | Preferred Spelling | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Legal documents | Judgment | Global standard |
| General use (U.S.) | Judgment | American English |
| General use (U.K./AUS/NZ) | Judgement | British/Commonwealth |
| When in doubt | Judgment | Universally safe |
Quick Summary
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Both spellings mean the same thing.
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“Judgment” is always correct, especially in formal or legal writing.
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“Judgement” is fine in informal British usage.
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For professional or international writing → choose judgment (no “e”).
