appreciative
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of appreciative
First recorded in 1690–1700; appreciate + -ive
Explanation
If you do a friend a favor, your friend will probably be appreciative, meaning grateful. Use appreciative to describe words and actions that are positive, either out of gratitude or respect. If you know that appreciation is a type of respect and admiration, then you won't be surprised by the meanings of appreciative. Children should be appreciative of everything their parents do to take care of them. We can also say a positive review is appreciative, showing that the critic likes and appreciates the subject of the review. Appreciative words and gestures are always positive and respectful.
Vocabulary lists containing appreciative
ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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Bless Me, Ultima
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"Animal Snoops," Vocabulary from the informational text
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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.
Appreciative, too: He is grateful for the accidents of fortune that conspired to make his life, musical and otherwise, so satisfying.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025
Appreciative of Anderson’s gift, Del Toro squeezed the role of all its humorous self-seriousness laced with grounded emotions.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2025
Appreciative: This should only be done with very careful estate planning.
From Washington Post • Dec. 18, 2022
Appreciative audience," the star wrote in his final social media post. "Thanks again to @RealTimWilkins for opening.
From Fox News • Feb. 24, 2022
Appreciative eyes that communicated some complicity she was excluded from.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
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.
