appreciation

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

Updated on: 13 Apr 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

Find the natural opportunities in family life to express appreciation.

— thomas lickona, Time, "How to Raise Grateful Kids in an Era of Thankless People," 10 Apr. 2018
One group was shown a video clip of Oprah Winfrey's show in which musicians expressed appreciation for their mentors.

— daniel burke, CNN, "Seeing the Pope help strangers made me tear up. Later I learned why.," 6 Apr. 2018
There have been two TV adaptations, so why not a third, made with a full appreciation of and respect for Helen’s autonomy and feminist inclinations?

— matthew gilbert, BostonGlobe.com, "From the pages of these literary classics, TV for our times," 5 Apr. 2018
During their hospitalization, the adult siblings learned how to play the guitar, with a special appreciation for the music of John Denver.

— christine pelisek, PEOPLE.com, "How 'Bright and Articulate' House of Horrors Siblings Are Adjusting After Alleged Captivity," 26 Mar. 2018
The Enquirer/Cara Owsley Cara Owsley/The Enquirer A seventh-generation Cincinnatian on both sides of her family, Molly Wellmann was born with an appreciation for this town’s history.

— chris varias, Cincinnati.com, "How to spend a day in Over-the-Rhine like a pro, from Molly Wellmann," 22 Mar. 2018
After Historical Society President Brian Feron thanked the audience for attending, the crowd left with a new appreciation for the history of downtown Medina and the hundreds of hours of work invested by Bob Hyde.

— mary jane brewer, cleveland.com, "Medina historian Bob Hyde presents "Beyond the Storefronts": Bicentennial Notes," 15 Mar. 2018
Even though Kansas will have a sizable and some would suggest dominant rooting section Thursday, Donahue has surely been picking up fans in Wichita with his appreciation of playing there.

— marc narducci, Philly.com, "Penn blown away by crowd enthusiasm at open practice," 14 Mar. 2018
Those who think the desert is a hot, dry and dull place will come away with an appreciation of its diversity. Entertainment value: 6.

— scott craven, azcentral, "Spring break ideas for middle school kids in Arizona," 9 Mar. 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

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