appraise
Americanverb (used with object)
-
appraises,
present (3rd person singular)
-
appraised,
past participle, past
-
appraising
present participle
-
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
Derived Forms
-
appraisernoun
-
misappraiseverb (used with object)
-
overappraiseverb (used with object)
-
reappraiseverb (used with object)
-
appraisableadjective
-
appraisiveadjective
-
unappraisedadjective
-
appraisinglyadverb
-
appraisivelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
appraisesimple
-
appraisessimple
-
have appraisedperfect
-
has appraisedperfect
-
am appraisingprogressive
-
are appraisingprogressive
-
is appraisingprogressive
-
have been appraisingperfect progressive
-
has been appraisingperfect progressive
Past
-
appraisedsimple
-
had appraisedperfect
-
was appraisingprogressive
-
were appraisingprogressive
-
had been appraisingperfect progressive
Future
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.
See Examples For:
He said the company has a team mobilized in Venezuela and that it will need to drill exploration wells to appraise the region’s production potential.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
We’re really training him to appraise things at a young age.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 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
I made checklists by which I might daily appraise my altering visage.
From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi
Key to the burgeoning market are firms like Professional Sports Authenticator, of Santa Ana, which authenticates and appraises cards.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
The ceramics and glass expert, with Lyon & Turnbull auctioneers in Edinburgh, joined the BBC programme in 2018 as one of the specialists who appraises objects brought in by members of the public.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
“There is a bid/ask spread just like there is for any other traded asset,” explained Trip Brannen, chief financial officer at Coinfully, a company that appraises and purchases coins.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 31, 2025
Roberts said the companies will go through an appraisal process to determine the value of Hulu, and that process appraises “a lot more than Hulu,” in his opinion.
From Reuters ● Sep. 6, 2023
He appraises the seed of act, which is its motive; not "leafage and branchage, vulgar eyes admire."
From A Handbook to the Works of Browning (6th ed.) by Mrs. Sutherland Orr
When Gordon Russell from Vero Beach, Fla., had a diamond from Costco appraised, he said that the jeweler thought the stone had come from Tiffany & Co.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
There are further restrictions around accessing material containing personal information, that is business-sensitive, or has not yet been appraised, according to the congregation's access policy.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
“We plan to sell it to another family member for the appraised value.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
We plan to sell it to another family member for the appraised value, but that may happen after the six-month time frame.
From MarketWatch ● May 18, 2026
He appraised me and readjusted the helmet, then my belt until the buckle was squared in the front and the battery hung exactly off my right hip.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
Still, Mr. Turley observes, the newly independent Americans’ rage “would prove transformative for many framers in appraising the promise and the perils of democratic systems.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026
Buffett’s success hinges on his skills as a value investor, “always appraising stocks as fractional-ownership interests in businesses that he planned to hold over the long term,” said the manager of the $23.5 billion fund.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 19, 2025
She wasn't interested to know that Clyde, appraising us from his teeny terrarium, was a near-doppelgänger for the 16 1/2-year-old companion I had lost a few months before.
From Salon ● Dec. 6, 2024
Star, meanwhile, said Mrs Macron had "great talent" when appraising her performance.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2024
“He’s pretty far gone,” said Enoch, appraising Martin as a surgeon might assess an all-but-hopeless patient.
From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
