appreciation

noun ap·pre·ci·a·tion \ ə-ˌprē-shē-ˈā-shən , -ˌpri- also -ˌprē-sē- \

Updated on: 10 May 2018

1 a : a feeling or expression of admiration, approval, or gratitude

I want to express my appreciation for all you've done.

a small token of our appreciation

b : judgment, evaluation; especially : a favorable critical estimate

c : sensitive awareness; especially : recognition of aesthetic values

a class in music appreciation

2 : increase in value

See appreciation defined for English-language learners

Examples of appreciation in a Sentence

You've been so generous, and I'd like to show my appreciation by cooking a meal for you.
She's shown little appreciation for the effort you've made.
I'm not sure you have an appreciation of the complexity of the situation.
I've gained an appreciation for the skills involved in the game.

Recent Examples of appreciation from the Web

Knutsen laughed when explaining his unique way of showing appreciation.

— kaila white, azcentral, "Superintendent has tasty way to welcome teachers back to school after walkout," 4 May 2018
The program is offered to active-duty U.S. military members from all branches, including National Guard and Reserve members and their families to show appreciation for their service.

— linda mcintosh, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Local Marines receive scholarships from Kiwanis ... community events," 30 Apr. 2018
Doing it in public, that is just to show our appreciation of a great four years at New Albany.

— gary bedore, kansascity, "Monday is Decision Day for elite Indiana shooting guard Romeo Langford | The Kansas City Star," 29 Apr. 2018
Brown showed his appreciation last month, endorsing Trone’s campaign to succeed Rep. John Delaney (D) in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District.

— paul schwartzman, Washington Post, "Tycoon turned candidate: Why Trone’s critics say he’s trying to buy a seat in Congress," 28 Apr. 2018
Naturally, fans have shown their appreciation for the album on Twitter.

— abby jones, Billboard, "Post Malone's 'Beerbongs & Bentleys' Has Fans Trying Not to Cry, Hitting Repeat," 27 Apr. 2018
John, a second-grader at Kennedy School in Chicago Heights, has brought the mini-doughnuts to firehouses and police stations for the past two years to show his appreciation for the civil servants.

— howard ludwig, Daily Southtown, "Meet the boy behind First Responders Day in Chicago Heights," 26 Apr. 2018
Doing it in public, that is just to show our appreciation of a great four years at New Albany.

— kyle neddenriep, Indianapolis Star, "As Romeo Langford's family calmly nears college decision, other coaches keep recruiting," 26 Apr. 2018
Sammie Rahimi works as an administrative aid at the library, wandered out to the plaza to show her appreciation for Bush's literacy work.

— alyson ward, Houston Chronicle, "At Barbara Bush Literacy Plaza, fans recall the former first lady's legacy," 19 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'appreciation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of appreciation

see appreciate

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1604

in the meaning defined at sense 1b

See Words from the same year

appreciation Synonyms

Financial Definition of APPRECIATION

appreciation

noun

What It Is

Appreciation is an increase in the value of an investment.

How It Works

Let's assume you purchased one share of Company XYZ stock for $5. If that share's value increased to $7, the investment has appreciated by $2.

Note that even though the investment has appreciated by $2, you will not benefit unless you sell the stock and put $7 back in your pocket. If you do not sell, the appreciation is often referred to as “paper profit.”

Why It Matters

The definition of appreciation on InvestingAnswers Appreciation is the end goal for most investors. It is the founding principle upon which nearly every investment strategy rests. However, to realize the benefits of appreciation, the investment asset must be sold. This is generally considered a taxable event, meaning taxes will be due on some or all of the gains.

Source: Investing Answers

APPRECIATION Defined for English Language Learners

appreciation

noun

: a feeling of being grateful for something
: an ability to understand the worth, quality, or importance of something : an ability to appreciate something
: full awareness or understanding of something