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Synonyms

appreciate

American  
[uh-pree-shee-eyt] / əˈpri ʃiˌeɪt /

verb (used with object)

appreciates, present (3rd person singular) appreciated, past participle, past appreciating present participle
  1. to be grateful or thankful for.

    They appreciated his thoughtfulness.

  2. to value or regard highly; place a high estimate on.

    to appreciate good wine.

  3. to be fully conscious of; be aware of; detect.

    to appreciate the dangers of a situation.

  4. to raise in value.


verb (used without object)

appreciates, present (3rd person singular) appreciated, past participle, past appreciating present participle
  1. to increase in value.

    Property values appreciated yearly.

appreciate British  
/ əˈpriːʃɪˌeɪt, -sɪ- /

verb

  1. to feel thankful or grateful for

    to appreciate a favour

  2. (may take a clause as object) to take full or sufficient account of

    to appreciate a problem

  3. to value highly

    to appreciate Shakespeare

  4. (usually intr) to raise or increase in value

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

Past

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."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing appreciate

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.

The ads, for a while, encouraged viewers to “call and thank Senator Collins” and “tell her you appreciate all she is doing for Maine.”

From Slate • Jun. 16, 2026

After years of touring and "constantly moving", he says he was close to burning out and wanted to make sure he could fully appreciate the moment he had spent years working towards.

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026

You don’t have to like Mr. Musk to appreciate what he has built.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

“I appreciate the passion, rigor, and commitment UC faculty bring in support of our students, and I look forward to the thoughtful discussions and outcomes this initiative will produce.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

I appreciate it that he didn’t try to explain you were dead.

From "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" by Kelly Jones

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