appraise

verb

ap·​praise ə-ˈprāz 

appraised; appraising

transitive verb

1

: to set a value on : to estimate the amount of

appraise the damage

2

: to evaluate the worth, significance, or status of

especially : to give an expert judgment of the value or merit of

appraise an actor's career

appraisee

ə-ˌprā-ˈzē 

noun

appraisement

ə-ˈprāz-mənt 

noun

appraiser noun

appraisive

ə-ˈprā-ziv 

adjective

Synonyms

• assess
• estimate
• value
• evaluate

Choose the Right Synonym for appraise

estimate, appraise, evaluate, value, rate, assess mean to judge something with respect to its worth or significance.

estimate implies a judgment, considered or casual, that precedes or takes the place of actual measuring or counting or testing out.

estimated the crowd at two hundred

appraise commonly implies the fixing by an expert of the monetary worth of a thing, but it may be used of any critical judgment.

having their house appraised

evaluate suggests an attempt to determine relative or intrinsic worth in terms other than monetary.

evaluate a student's work

value equals appraise but without implying expertness of judgment.

a watercolor valued by the donor at $500

rate adds to estimate the notion of placing a thing according to a scale of values.

a highly rated restaurant

assess implies a critical appraisal for the purpose of understanding or interpreting, or as a guide in taking action.

officials are trying to assess the damage

Examples of appraise in a Sentence

The ring must be appraised by a jeweler before it can be insured.

appraise the house and property

What is the property's appraised value?

In the book, he appraises Hollywood's recent films and contrasts them with several independent films.

Recent Examples on the Web

Smith also recommended that owners thinking about appealing their valuation file a request with the county under the Missouri Sunshine Law, to ask for all available information about their property and how it was appraised. —Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2025

Agnes has a gawky, floppy-haired beauty, a gently appraising stare, quizzically arching eyebrows, and a tendency to listen with her mouth half open, as if in anticipation of a punch line that will take her, and us, by surprise. —Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 June 2025

Antiques collector David Van Auker, who had been hired to appraise the contents of the Alters’ house following their deaths in 2012 and 2017, respectively, found the work in the couple’s bedroom. —News Desk, Artforum, 11 June 2025

After the couple’s deaths, antiques dealer David Van Auker was tasked with appraising the contents of their three-bedroom home in Cliff, New Mexico, a tiny town near the state’s southwestern corner. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English appraysen, probably from Anglo-French *appreiser, from a- (from Latin ad-) + preiser to prize, praise

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for appraise

• ablaze
• airways
• allays
• always
• amaze
• anglaise
• archways
• arrays
• ashtrays
• assays
• ballets
• berets

Kids Definition

appraise

verb

ap·​praise ə-ˈprāz 

appraised; appraising

1

: to set a value on

2

: to judge how good someone or something is

appraisement

-mənt 

noun

appraiser noun

Legal Definition

appraise

transitive verb

ap·​praise ə-ˈprāz 

appraised; appraising

: to estimate the value of : make an appraisal of

appraiser noun