appreciated

American

[uh-pree-shee-ey-tid] / əˈpri ʃiˌeɪ tɪd /

adjective

regarded or received with thankfulness.

The spa vouchers made a much appreciated gift for the new moms.
highly valued or esteemed.

At the conference we get to network, make friends, and feel like an appreciated part of a vibrant community of researchers.
perceived and understood; recognized.

The relationships between increased urbanization and decreased infection rates are still inadequately appreciated.
increased in value.

For most of the society, the appreciated currency just makes it harder to pay off debt.
Transferring appreciated securities to our charitable foundation is an excellent way to support breakthrough research while avoiding the capital gains tax.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of appreciate.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of appreciated

First recorded in 1750–60; appreciat(e) ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ), for the adjective senses; appreciat(e) ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ), for the verb sense

Explanation

Things that are appreciated are completely understood, and usually welcomed. If you're fully aware of how risky it is to wrestle alligators, you could say it's an appreciated danger. You might think you look extra cute in your new pink bicycle helmet, but it also has the appreciated benefit of protecting your skull when you're riding. A slightly different meaning of appreciated is "received with gratitude," so your thank you note to your Aunt Emily could say, "The hand-knitted leg warmers were much appreciated!" And if someone talks about an appreciated stock, they mean that it has increased in value.

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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.

Martin appreciated the note, but recognized that even in his seemingly heartfelt apology, McAfee could not adapt his belief system to fit her experience.

From Salon • Jun. 22, 2026

You’ll never catch me waking up at 4 a.m. to stand with two million on the hot pavement but I appreciated the scene.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

And I really appreciated how it’s something that sounds like it should be simple, and for some people it’s no big deal.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026

At one time, visitors would climb into the oak's hollow trunk but from the 1970s, when a fence was placed around the tree, it was appreciated from a distance.

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026

I appreciated their business savvy and the way they always looked out for me, but the last thing I wanted to think about on the eve of my nineteenth birthday was financial planning.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023