appreciate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
appreciates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
appreciated,
past participle, past
-
appreciating
present participle
-
to be grateful or thankful for.
They appreciated his thoughtfulness.
-
to value or regard highly; place a high estimate on.
to appreciate good wine.
-
to be fully conscious of; be aware of; detect.
to appreciate the dangers of a situation.
-
to raise in value.
verb (used without object)
-
appreciates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
appreciated,
past participle, past
-
appreciating
present participle
verb
-
to feel thankful or grateful for
to appreciate a favour
-
(may take a clause as object) to take full or sufficient account of
to appreciate a problem
-
to value highly
to appreciate Shakespeare
-
(usually intr) to raise or increase in value
Usage
What are other ways to say appreciate? To appreciate something is to value or regard it highly. How is appreciate different from esteem, value, and prize? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
appreciatesimple
-
appreciatessimple
-
have appreciatedperfect
-
has appreciatedperfect
-
am appreciatingprogressive
-
are appreciatingprogressive
-
is appreciatingprogressive
-
have been appreciatingperfect progressive
-
has been appreciatingperfect progressive
Past
-
appreciatedsimple
-
had appreciatedperfect
-
was appreciatingprogressive
-
were appreciatingprogressive
-
had been appreciatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of appreciate
First recorded in 1645–55; from Medieval Latin appreciātus “valued, appraised,” from Late Latin appretiātus, past participle of appretiāre “to appraise” (equivalent to Latin ap- ap- 1 + preti(um) price + -ātus -ate 1 )
Explanation
If you appreciate something, you recognize its value. We can all appreciate how refreshing cold lemonade is on a sweltering summer day. The oldest meaning of appreciate is "to know the worth of something": "The parolee appreciated his newfound freedom." A related sense is "to be grateful for something," but this usage can sound wordy. Instead of "I would appreciate your sending me more information," consider: "Please send me more information." The word can also be used (without a direct object) to mean "to rise in worth": "The vintage Corvette would appreciate in value over the years."
Vocabulary lists containing appreciate
List 4
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"Icarus's Flight," Vocabulary from the poem
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Because of Winn-Dixie
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Although nearly impossible to appreciate at a human scale, such a small adjustment can make an important difference when a telescope is designed to study objects across vast cosmic distances.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
A modest pleasure, but one I’ve come to appreciate.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
Revisit some of the show’s best jingles and parodies, appreciate Alec Baldwin’s singular performance as Jack Donaghy, and test your memory with this quiz.
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026
I understand that the details will need to be worked out with my attorney and CPA, but I would appreciate hearing your perspective and ideas before moving forward.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026
“I’m sure your zhe’e will appreciate your text, shinálí.”
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
He added that he appreciates Marvell’s push into connectivity products and the diversity of its customer base.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
While he appreciates the geographic diversity of the region, Valderrama says his love for the city is actually tied to “the gift of being an immigrant.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
"The 501st Combat Support Wing appreciates the swift response and continued support of our local law enforcement partners," it said.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
She appreciates that some people might be sceptical about the difference breathing techniques actually make to stressful situations but urges people to try them.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
“Ma poulette. Thank you for looking after Lily. I know Melissa appreciates your help. We all do.”
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
It appreciated more than 25 times from the $940,000 it went for in 2005.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
Many appreciated that she could relate to the challenges they faced as renters.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
His son Nathan thanked the band's fans down the decades "for all of the support you have given my dad over the years, I know he really appreciated you all".
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
Halkias gets paid to be funny, and his stand-up career was boosted by a YouTube algorithm that appreciated his talent for crowd work.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026
Among them were several British intelligence officers who appreciated the Friedmans’ warm welcome and friendly wit.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
For the family, there is a balance between appreciating the community support, but not being overwhelmed by it, she said.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
The tell-like-it-is prose of Swanson is refreshing and appreciating to read.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
Investors can also use that war chest to rebalance, selling stable or appreciating bondholdings to buy stocks if they are trading at a discount.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
She said the scale, height, and mass of the new ballroom would impair her aesthetic, cultural, and historical interests in viewing and appreciating the White House.
From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2026
I came around to appreciating Martha Karolyi’s results-oriented approach when I returned to the ranch a few weeks later to compete in the American Classic.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
