appeal

American  

[uh-peel] / əˈpil /

noun

1. an earnest request for aid, support, sympathy, mercy, etc.; entreaty; petition; plea.

   Synonyms:

   invocation, supplication, prayer

2. a request or reference to some person or authority for a decision, corroboration, judgment, etc.

   Synonyms:

   solicitation, suit

3. Law.

   1. an application or proceeding for review by a higher tribunal.

   2. (in a legislative body or assembly) a formal question as to the correctness of a ruling by a presiding officer.

   3. Obsolete. a formal charge or accusation.

4. the power or ability to attract, interest, amuse, or stimulate the mind or emotions.

   The game has lost its appeal.

   Synonyms:

   attraction

5. Obsolete. a summons or challenge.

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verb (used without object)

1. to ask for aid, support, mercy, sympathy, or the like; make an earnest entreaty.

   The college appealed to its alumni for funds.

   Synonyms:

   ask, request

2. Law. to apply for review of a case or particular issue to a higher tribunal.

3. to have need of or ask for proof, a decision, corroboration, etc.

4. to be especially attractive, pleasing, interesting, or enjoyable.

   The red hat appeals to me.

verb (used with object)

1. Law.

   1. to apply for review of (a case) to a higher tribunal.

   2. Obsolete. to charge with a crime before a tribunal.

idioms

1. appeal to the country, country.

appeal British  

/ əˈpiːl /

noun

1. a request for relief, aid, etc

2. the power to attract, please, stimulate, or interest

   a dress with appeal

3. an application or resort to another person or authority, esp a higher one, as for a decision or confirmation of a decision

4. law

   1. the judicial review by a superior court of the decision of a lower tribunal

   2. a request for such review

   3. the right to such review

5. cricket a verbal request to the umpire from one or more members of the fielding side to declare a batsman out

6. English law (formerly) a formal charge or accusation

   appeal of felony

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verb

1. (intr) to make an earnest request for relief, support, etc

2. (intr) to attract, please, stimulate, or interest

3. law to apply to a superior court to review (a case or particular issue decided by a lower tribunal)

4. (intr) to resort (to), as for a decision or confirmation of a decision

5. (intr) cricket to ask the umpire to declare a batsman out

6. (intr) to challenge the umpire's or referee's decision

Related Words

Appeal, entreat, petition, supplicate mean to ask for something wished for or needed. Appeal and petition may concern groups and formal or public requests. Entreat and supplicate are usually more personal and urgent. To appeal is to ask earnestly for help or support, on grounds of reason, justice, common humanity, etc.: to appeal for contributions to a cause. To petition is to ask by written request, by prayer, or the like, that something be granted: to petition for more playgrounds. Entreat suggests pleading: The captured knight entreated the king not to punish him. To supplicate is to beg humbly, usually from a superior, powerful, or stern (official) person: to supplicate that the lives of prisoners be spared.

Other Word Forms

• appealability noun
• appealable adjective
• appealer noun
• nonappealability noun
• nonappealable adjective
• reappeal verb
• unappealed adjective

Etymology

Origin of appeal

First recorded in 1250–1300; (for the verb) Middle English a(p)pelen, from Anglo-French, Old French a(p)peler, from Latin appellāre “to speak to, address,” from ap- ap- ¹ + -pellāre “to push repeatedly,” stem of pellere “to drive, push, strike”; (for the noun) Middle English ap(p)el, from Anglo-French, Old French apel, noun derivative of ap(p)eler

Explanation

Appeal means "to ask, or address." If you appeal to someone's better nature, you're asking them for mercy. If a shirt doesn't appeal to you, you could also say it doesn't "speak" to you, or more simply, you don't like it. Appeal can also be used as a noun to refer to a request, as in "his parents ignored his appeal for a later curfew," or to refer to something's attractiveness or desirability, as in "we all agreed on the appeal of a tropical vacation." In judicial contexts, appeal means "to call upon a higher court to review a lower court's decision." If a lawyer appeals a court's conviction of her client, she's asking a higher court to throw the decision out. This word descends from the Latin appellare, "to address, call upon."

Example Sentences

He is approachable, smiles easily, and is willing to take photos, reinforcing his appeal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

More than £23,000 was raised to repair the grave following an appeal.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

The government has been granted leave to appeal the decision.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

Circuit Court of Appeals, answered that whatever more detailed pretext arguments Pitchford later developed on appeal were waived because his defense attorney did not present them to the trial judge at the crucial moment.

From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026

All the while, I kept my eyes open for bugs or greens that might appeal to our hungry baby screecher.

From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate

Related Words

• apply
• ask
• call
• call upon
• claim
• contest
• demand
• petition
• plead
• pray
• propose
• refer
• require
• submit
• sue
• urge