appreciation

noun

ap·​pre·​ci·​a·​tion ə-ˌprē-shē-ˈā-shən 

-ˌpri-

also -ˌprē-sē-

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

Synonyms of appreciation

• admiration
• respect
• regard

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 on the Web

At its core, the collection focused on the appreciation of beauty created with patience and knowledge passed down through generations and how art has become a vessel for culture. — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026

Real estate can provide stable income or appreciation through active value creation, while technology investments offer exposure to emerging businesses and new models of growth. — Connie Etemadi, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026

Initially, responses in the thread under Kwon’s post ping-ponged between appreciation and recrimination, with approving Slack reactions hovering in the 20s and 30s for each variety. — Garrison Lovely, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Deep appreciation to Francesca Esmay and Simone Estrin for their invaluable counsel during the preparation of this essay. — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see appreciate

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing appreciation

• in appreciation of

Rhymes for appreciation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation