appraise
To appraise means to carefully judge the value or quality of something.
Explanation at your level:
At this level, you can think of appraise as 'to look and decide'. If you have a toy, you look at it to see if it is good. You are deciding its value. It is a big word for a simple idea!
When you appraise something, you are checking its quality. Imagine you are at a market. You look at an apple. You check if it is red and shiny. You are appraising the apple to see if you want to buy it.
Appraise is used when you need to give a formal opinion. If your teacher looks at your essay, they are appraising your writing. They check for grammar and ideas. It is a professional way to say you are evaluating something.
In a business environment, appraise is very common. Managers use it to evaluate employees. It implies you are looking at facts and evidence, not just feelings. It is a sophisticated alternative to 'judge' or 'assess'.
The nuance of appraise lies in its objectivity. Unlike 'judge', which can be subjective, 'appraise' suggests a structured process. It is frequently used in art, real estate, and human resources to denote a standard of measurement or expert review.
Etymologically, appraise bridges the gap between economic valuation and intellectual assessment. It is a term of precision. In literary or academic discourse, it suggests a comprehensive, multi-faceted analysis. It is the verb of the expert, implying that the speaker has the authority to assign worth or define the nature of the subject at hand.
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- A verb meaning to judge value or quality.
- Used in formal or professional contexts.
- Often used in real estate and business.
- Noun form is 'appraisal'.
When you appraise something, you aren't just taking a quick glance; you are making a deliberate, thoughtful judgment. Think of it as putting on your 'expert glasses' to see what something is truly worth.
This word is often used in professional or business settings. For example, a real estate agent might appraise a house to tell the owner how much money it could sell for on the market. It's all about providing an informed opinion based on facts.
You can also appraise people or situations! If a coach watches a new player, they appraise their skills to see if they fit the team. It is a very useful word when you need to sound precise about your evaluations.
The word appraise has a fascinating journey through history. It traces its roots back to the Old French word aprisier, which meant 'to value' or 'to set a price on'.
Going back even further, it comes from the Latin word appretiare, which is a combination of ad (meaning 'to') and pretium (meaning 'price'). This is the same root we see in the word 'price' itself!
Over the centuries, the meaning shifted from just setting a price to a broader sense of judging quality or nature. It entered English in the late 15th century, becoming a staple for merchants and officials who needed a formal way to describe their evaluations.
You will mostly hear appraise in formal or professional contexts. It is a high-register word, so you wouldn't use it when talking to your friends about a movie you liked; you would use 'judge' or 'think' there instead.
Common collocations include appraise the situation, appraise the value, and appraise the performance. These pairings show that the word is about looking at data or behavior to form a conclusion.
Because it sounds official, using it in a workplace setting makes you sound very competent and analytical. It suggests that your opinion isn't just a guess, but a result of careful, professional thought.
While 'appraise' itself isn't the core of many idioms, it is often associated with these expressions:
- Take stock of: To assess a situation. Example: 'We need to take stock of our resources.'
- Size up: To form a judgment about someone. Example: 'He sized up the opponent quickly.'
- At face value: To accept something as it appears. Example: 'Don't take the offer at face value.'
- Weigh the pros and cons: To consider all sides. Example: 'She weighed the pros and cons before deciding.'
- Look over: To examine something. Example: 'I'll look over the report before the meeting.'
Appraise is a regular verb. Its forms are: appraise (present), appraised (past/past participle), and appraising (present participle).
In terms of pronunciation, it is stressed on the second syllable: /ə-PREYZ/. It rhymes with 'praise', 'maze', and 'gaze'.
It is almost always used as a transitive verb, meaning it needs an object. You don't just 'appraise'; you 'appraise something.' For example, 'The manager appraised the employee's performance' is correct, whereas just saying 'The manager appraised' feels incomplete.
Fun Fact
It shares the same Latin root as the word 'price'.
Pronunciation Guide
Sounds like 'a-PRAZE'
Sounds like 'a-PRAZE'
Common Errors
- Pronouncing the 's' like a 'z' too softly
- Stressing the first syllable
- Confusing with 'apprise'
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Moderate
Formal
Formal
Clear
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Fortgeschritten
Grammar to Know
Transitive Verbs
I appraise it.
Regular Verb Conjugation
appraise/appraised
Suffixes
-al in appraisal
Examples by Level
I appraise the toy.
I look at the toy to see if it is good.
Simple subject-verb-object.
He appraises the cake.
He checks the cake.
Third person singular.
They appraise the art.
They look at the painting.
Plural subject.
She appraises her work.
She checks her own work.
Reflexive sense.
We appraise the house.
We look at the house.
Basic verb usage.
I appraise the book.
I look at the book.
Simple sentence.
They appraise the land.
They check the field.
Simple sentence.
He appraises the gift.
He looks at the present.
Simple sentence.
The expert will appraise the diamond today.
She needs to appraise the situation before acting.
They appraised the old painting at the auction.
Can you appraise the value of this car?
The manager appraised my work performance.
We appraised the damage to the fence.
He appraised the room before moving in.
They are appraising the jewelry collection.
The bank sent someone to appraise the property.
It is hard to appraise the long-term effects of this policy.
She was asked to appraise the candidate's skills.
The committee will appraise the project's success.
He took a moment to appraise the stranger's intentions.
The jeweler appraised the ring for insurance purposes.
We need to appraise our current strategy.
They appraised the situation as dangerous.
The consultant was hired to appraise the company's assets.
She appraised the risks involved in the merger.
The critic appraised the film with a critical eye.
It is important to appraise your own strengths and weaknesses.
The board appraised the CEO's performance last year.
He appraised the landscape before starting the hike.
The appraiser appraised the antique desk at a high value.
They appraised the evidence before reaching a verdict.
The historian appraised the impact of the revolution on modern society.
She appraised the subtle nuances of the diplomatic agreement.
The panel appraised the scientific validity of the research.
He appraised the artistic merit of the sculpture collection.
The auditor appraised the financial records for discrepancies.
They appraised the cultural significance of the artifact.
She carefully appraised the political climate of the region.
The director appraised the actors' potential for the lead role.
The philosopher appraised the ethical implications of the new technology.
He appraised the architectural integrity of the ancient ruins.
The scholar appraised the literary evolution of the Victorian era.
She appraised the sociological patterns within the community.
The economist appraised the long-term viability of the market.
They appraised the existential weight of the protagonist's choice.
The expert appraised the provenance of the rare manuscript.
He appraised the geopolitical ramifications of the treaty.
Häufige Kollokationen
Idioms & Expressions
"take stock"
To assess one's situation.
I need to take stock of my life.
neutral"size up"
To judge someone or something.
He sized up the competition.
casual"weigh up"
To consider options.
Weigh up the benefits.
neutral"look over"
To examine quickly.
Look over the notes.
neutral"run the rule over"
To examine carefully.
He ran the rule over the contract.
idiomatic"at a glance"
To assess quickly.
I knew at a glance it was wrong.
neutralEasily Confused
Similar sound.
Apprise means to notify.
I will apprise you of the news.
Similar spelling.
Praise is to compliment.
He praised her work.
Similar meaning.
Assess is broader.
Assess the situation.
Similar meaning.
Estimate is a guess.
Estimate the time.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + appraises + object
She appraises the art.
Subject + will + appraise + object
They will appraise the house.
Subject + is + appraising + object
He is appraising the situation.
Subject + has + appraised + object
We have appraised the risk.
Subject + must + appraise + object
You must appraise the value.
Wortfamilie
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Verwandt
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
Häufige Fehler
Appraise is strictly a verb.
They sound similar but mean different things.
Appraise implies a formal process.
You don't need a preposition.
Appraise is for value or quality, not dimensions.
Tips
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a bank vault where everything is being checked by an appraiser.
When Native Speakers Use It
They use it when they want to sound professional.
Cultural Insight
It is very common in the US housing market.
Grammar Shortcut
Always follow it with an object.
Say It Right
Emphasize the second syllable.
Don't Make This Mistake
Don't confuse it with 'apprise' (to inform).
Did You Know?
It shares a root with the word 'price'.
Study Smart
Practice using it in 'Performance Review' sentences.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
A-PRAISE: You praise the value after you appraise it.
Visual Association
An expert with a magnifying glass looking at a diamond.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Try to appraise the items in your room by their usefulness.
Wortherkunft
Old French / Latin
Original meaning: To set a price on.
Kultureller Kontext
None.
Common in real estate and corporate HR.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Real Estate
- Appraise the property
- Market appraisal
- Professional appraiser
Workplace
- Performance appraisal
- Appraise the skills
- Annual appraisal
Art/Antiques
- Appraise the collection
- Expert appraisal
- Value appraisal
Decision Making
- Appraise the situation
- Appraise the risks
- Appraise the outcome
Conversation Starters
"How would you appraise the value of your time?"
"Have you ever had to appraise a difficult situation?"
"Why is it important to appraise your goals?"
"Who is the best person to appraise an antique?"
"Does your company do performance appraisals?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you had to appraise a situation.
If you were an appraiser, what would you like to evaluate?
How do you appraise your own success?
Why do people value the opinion of an expert appraiser?
Häufig gestellte Fragen
8 FragenNo, they are totally different! Praise means to say good things about someone; appraise means to judge value.
Yes, in a professional sense, like a performance review.
Appraisal.
It is common in business and professional writing.
No, it means to determine the value before selling.
Not really, it is for objective evaluation.
Both use it equally.
A-P-P-R-A-I-S-E.
Teste dich selbst
I will ___ the value of this toy.
Appraise means to check the value.
Which is an appraiser?
An appraiser is someone who performs an appraisal.
Appraise is a noun.
Appraise is a verb.
Word
Bedeutung
Matching synonyms.
Subject-Verb-Object order.
Ergebnis: /5
Summary
To appraise is to professionally determine the value or nature of something.
- A verb meaning to judge value or quality.
- Used in formal or professional contexts.
- Often used in real estate and business.
- Noun form is 'appraisal'.
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a bank vault where everything is being checked by an appraiser.
When Native Speakers Use It
They use it when they want to sound professional.
Cultural Insight
It is very common in the US housing market.
Grammar Shortcut
Always follow it with an object.
Beispiel
We need to appraise the damage to the roof before the storm returns.
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