appraise
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to estimate the monetary value of; determine the worth of; assess.
We had an expert appraise the house before we bought it.
-
to estimate the nature, quality, importance, etc..
He tried to appraise the poetry of John Updike.
verb
-
to assess the worth, value, or quality of
-
to make a valuation of, as for taxation purposes
Usage
Appraise is sometimes wrongly used where apprise is meant: they had been apprised ( not appraised ) of my arrival
Other Word Forms
- appraisable adjective
- appraiser noun
- appraisingly adverb
- appraisive adjective
- appraisively adverb
- misappraise verb (used with object)
- overappraise verb (used with object)
- reappraise verb (used with object)
- unappraised adjective
Etymology
Origin of appraise
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English apraysen “to set a value on”; probably equivalent to a conflation of apprize 1 and praise (with the sense of prize 2 )
Explanation
When you buy a house someone will need to appraise its value before you can get a mortgage. To appraise something is to figure out its worth in the marketplace, on the field, or in the world of ideas. To appraise the value of a friendship is difficult, but to appraise the value of your grandfather’s pocket watch — just go to the pawn shop. The verb appraise comes from the Late Latin word appretiare, which means “value” or “estimate.” You can appraise your chances of marrying royalty, which are probably slim. You can also appraise the value of a quarterback on your fantasy football team by looking at the statistics for his completed passes.
Vocabulary lists containing appraise
Of Mice and Men
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 Pearl
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!
"Of Mice and Men"
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.
The temptation to amuse the audience led him to betray his duty to appraise the work of aspiring artists who tremblingly dared present themselves before His Nasty Majesty.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
If your husband wants to appraise his children of your estate plan, he can do that.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 10, 2026
YouTube Recap doesn't just appraise your music tastes, but all those weird cat videos you watched in the middle of the night instead of sleeping.
From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025
That’s a huge time-saver for insurance agents or restoration specialists looking to appraise a property.
From Slate • Jul. 25, 2025
Then, too, she would have advised against my marriage to Lelia, the lengthy Anglican goddess, who’d measure me ceaselessly while I slept, continually appraise our vast differences, count up the ways.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
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.
