appraisal

noun

ap·​prais·​al ə-ˈprā-zəl How to pronounce appraisal (audio)
: 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
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.
The burden of proof did not shift from the taxpayer and the appraisal was a qualified appraisal. Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025 Neff said the initial step is for the county to hire its own appraiser, who would do an independent appraisal of the land and structures of Cleveland-Cliffs. Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2025 Back in 2023, Disney officially agreed to pay a floor of $8.61 billion for Comcast’s stake in Hulu, but the companies couldn’t agree on a final valuation for the stake, leading to an extended appraisal process. Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2025 Now, that number has been calculated: Pursuant to the contractual appraisal process that was completed on June 9, 2025, an additional $438.7 million is payable by Disney to NBCU to purchase NBCU’s interest in Hulu, according to a Disney SEC filing Monday. Todd Spangler, Variety, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for appraisal

Word History

Etymology

appraise + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of appraisal was in 1698

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Appraisal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/appraisal. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

appraisal

noun
ap·​prais·​al ə-ˈprā-zəl How to pronounce appraisal (audio)
: an act or instance of appraising

Legal Definition

appraisal

noun
ap·​prais·​al ə-ˈprā-zəl How to pronounce appraisal (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on appraisal

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