appreciation
Americannoun
-
appreciations
plural
-
gratitude; thankful recognition.
They showed their appreciation by giving him a gold watch.
-
the act of estimating the qualities of things and giving them their proper value.
-
clear perception or recognition, especially of aesthetic quality.
a course in art appreciation.
-
an increase or rise in the value of property, goods, etc.
-
critical notice; evaluation; opinion, as of a situation, person, etc.
-
a critique or written evaluation, especially when favorable.
noun
-
thanks or gratitude
-
assessment of the true worth or value of persons or things
-
perceptive recognition of qualities, as in art
-
an increase in value, as of goods or property
-
a written review of a book, etc, esp when favourable
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
nonappreciationnoun
-
overappreciationnoun
-
self-appreciationnoun
-
superappreciationnoun
-
unappreciationnoun
-
appreciationaladjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of appreciation
First recorded in 1600–10; earlier appretiation, from French appréciation, from Late Latin appretiātiō “appraisal, valuation”; equivalent to appreciate + -ion
Explanation
When you have an appreciation for something, you can see and truly understand its good qualities. One way to show your appreciation for a particularly wonderful musical performance is to give a standing ovation when it's over. A slightly different kind of appreciation is having good taste or the ability to see aesthetic beauty in something, like members of a wine appreciation group or the teacher of a music appreciation class. There's also the appreciation that means a rise in monetary value — you might refer to the appreciation of the value of a house, for example.
Vocabulary lists containing appreciation
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
May Vocabulary Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Both Davis and Neff grew up with an appreciation for food sitting around family tables in Texas and Colorado, respectively.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
Again, we go into this with an appreciation of who the Lakers are.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
"As we considered this opportunity, it became clear that Amit and the consortium shared our long-term philosophy and appreciation for what makes Liverpool special."
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Uncertainty around the timing of OpenAI’s public listing has stalled the appreciation of its estimated value.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
Furthermore, initiation into the magnificent world of science brings great esthetic satisfaction, inspiration to youth, fulfillment of the desire to know, and a deeper appreciation of the wonderful potentialities and achievements of the human mind.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
This intimate volume includes slices of memoir, critical essays and appreciations of other authors, among them Ross Macdonald, whose prose she finds “so elegant and rich as to drive any writer to fits of envy.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
These are not mutually exclusive appreciations of this gown, but I brought to the discussion my research on abolitionist visual culture and read it through that lens.
From Slate ● May 4, 2023
Stewart shunned all sendoffs and appreciations in his final season, something Harvick told the AP that Stewart now regrets.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 12, 2023
But as the many appreciations that marked her death on Tuesday made clear, Angela Lansbury was in a class by herself, and “Murder, She Wrote” was, all that quaintness notwithstanding, revolutionary.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2022
The great men of modern times have revealed their inner selves in their confidential letters; their kinsmen, friends, and intimate associates have left their appreciations in the form of addresses or memoirs.
From Canute the Great The Rise of Danish Imperialism during the Viking Age by Laurence Marcellus Larson
Definitions 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.
