appraisal
noun
ap·prais·al
ə-ˈprā-zəl 
: an act or instance of appraising something or someone
a damage appraisal
They gave us an honest appraisal of our chances.
especially
: a valuation of property by the estimate of an authorized person
sought an appraisal of her jewelry
real estate appraisals
Examples of appraisal in a Sentence
the appraisal of some jewelry
I made a quick appraisal of the situation and decided to leave right away.
The book is an excellent appraisal of the influences that have shaped our government.
Recent Examples on the Web
An April 2024 appraisal by real estate brokerage Colliers submitted in a bankruptcy case involving the project estimated the as-is market value of the complex at nearly $434 million.
—
Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
One of the biggest challenges facing the property tax process in Cook County is that the board and the assessor are using two different appraisal methods.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
The judge admitted the appraisal value but said that was not enough to convince him his court’s involvement was proper.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026
Such an appraisal is the rule, where Bingham’s influence is concerned.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for appraisal
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
One of the biggest challenges facing the property tax process in Cook County is that the board and the assessor are using two different appraisal methods.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
The judge admitted the appraisal value but said that was not enough to convince him his court’s involvement was proper.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026
Such an appraisal is the rule, where Bingham’s influence is concerned.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for appraisal
Cite this Entry
“Appraisal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/appraisal. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
appraisal
noun
ap·prais·al
ə-ˈprā-zəl
: an act or instance of appraising
Legal Definition
appraisal
noun
ap·prais·al
ə-ˈprā-zəl
: a valuation of property by the estimate of an authorized person: as
a
: the determination of the fair value of a corporation's stock by a judicial proceeding that a dissenting shareholder is usually entitled by statute to demand in a case of extraordinary corporate action (as a merger) see also dissent entry 1 sense 1
b
: the estimation of the value of real estate for the purpose of taxation, sale, or securing a mortgage
c
: the estimation of the value of damage done to property for the purpose of adjusting an insurance claim
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
