Appraise vs. Apprise: Meaning, Differences, Examples

Have you ever wondered whether to write appraise or apprise? These two English words look and sound similar, but they have very different meanings. Appraise means to evaluate, assess, or determine the value of something, while apprise means to inform or notify someone about something. Choosing the wrong word can change the meaning of your sentence, especially in professional writing, business communication, and everyday conversations.

Understanding the difference between appraise and apprise is easier when you look at their definitions, grammar, and practical examples. Both words are verbs, and both commonly appear in formal American English. However, they are not interchangeable. In this guide, you will learn how to spell each word, understand its meaning, recognize its grammatical forms, and use it correctly in sentences. You will also find a comparison table, common mistakes, and helpful memory tips to make the distinction easier to remember.

Quick Answer: Appraise vs. Apprise

Appraise means to evaluate or estimate the value, quality, or condition of something. Apprise means to inform or notify someone about a situation, decision, or development. For example, an expert appraises a house to estimate its market value, while a manager apprises employees of an important company update. Remember: appraise is about assessment; apprise is about information.

What Is the Difference Between Appraise and Apprise?

The main difference between these words is their purpose.

• Appraise: To examine something and judge its value, quality, importance, or condition.
• Apprise: To tell someone about something or make them aware of information.

In simple terms, you appraise an object, property, performance, or situation. You apprise a person of news, facts, changes, or developments.

Consider these two sentences:

• The jeweler will appraise the diamond before the sale.
• The supervisor will apprise the staff of the new schedule.

In the first sentence, the jeweler evaluates the diamond’s worth. In the second, the supervisor informs employees about a change.

Although the words share several letters and have similar pronunciations, their meanings are distinct. Using one in place of the other can make a sentence confusing or incorrect.

Why Do People Confuse Appraise and Apprise?

There are several reasons English speakers mix up appraise and apprise.

1. Similar Spellings

Both words begin with the letter combination “ap” and contain similar patterns. Their endings also look alike, which can make them difficult to distinguish when reading quickly.

2. Similar Pronunciation

In American English, the words sound similar:

• Appraise: uh-PRAYZ
• Apprise: uh-PRIZE

Both have a similar opening sound and stress on the second syllable. Their final sounds are also close, making the distinction less obvious in conversation.

3. Both Are Formal Verbs

Appraise and apprise are often found in professional, academic, legal, and business writing. Because they appear in similar contexts, readers sometimes assume they have related meanings.

4. Both Can Appear in Workplace Communication

A manager might appraise an employee’s performance or apprise the employee of a policy change. The situations may involve the same people, but the actions are different.

The easiest way to avoid confusion is to remember the central idea behind each word: appraise means evaluate; apprise means inform.

What Does Appraise Mean?

Appraise is a verb that means to evaluate, examine, or estimate the value, quality, condition, or importance of something.

The word is commonly used when someone makes a careful judgment after examining an object, property, performance, or situation. An appraiser may consider market conditions, physical condition, quality, usefulness, and other relevant factors before reaching an assessment.

For example, a real estate professional may appraise a house to estimate its market value. A supervisor may appraise an employee’s job performance during an annual review.

Appraise: Definition and Meaning

According to its everyday American English usage, appraise means:

• To estimate the monetary value of something.
• To evaluate the quality or condition of something.
• To assess someone’s performance or abilities.
• To judge the importance or significance of a situation.

The word is especially common in real estate, insurance, finance, business, art, and professional performance evaluations.

Appraise as a Part of Speech

Appraise is a verb. It describes an action performed by a person or organization.

Common grammatical forms include:

Form	Word	Example
Base form	Appraise	They appraise antiques.
Third-person singular	Appraises	She appraises jewelry.
Present participle	Appraising	He is appraising the property.
Simple past	Appraised	The expert appraised the painting.
Past participle	Appraised	The house has been appraised.

Common Expressions With Appraise

You will often see appraise used in these expressions:

• Appraise a property
• Appraise an antique
• Appraise jewelry
• Appraise someone’s performance
• Appraise the value of an asset
• Appraise the condition of a building
• Appraise a business opportunity

Appraise: Example Sentences

Here are five practical examples showing how to use appraise correctly.

1. The bank hired an independent expert to appraise the house before approving the mortgage.
2. The museum asked a specialist to appraise the historical painting.
3. During the annual review, the supervisor will appraise each employee’s performance.
4. The insurance company needs to appraise the damaged vehicle before determining the claim amount.
5. The collector paid an expert to appraise the antique watch.

In each sentence, appraise refers to evaluating something rather than simply sharing information.

What Does Apprise Mean?

Apprise is a verb that means to inform, notify, or make someone aware of something.

It is generally used when a person communicates important information, such as a decision, update, change, problem, or development. The person receiving the information becomes aware of something they may not have known before.

For example, a manager may apprise employees of a new workplace policy. A doctor may apprise a patient of important test results.

Apprise: Definition and Meaning

Apprise means:

• To inform someone about something.
• To notify someone of an event or development.
• To make someone aware of a situation.
• To communicate relevant facts or updates.

The word is more formal than everyday alternatives such as tell, inform, or notify. It is often used in professional correspondence, official announcements, and formal reports.

Apprise as a Part of Speech

Apprise is a verb. It describes the act of providing information to another person.

Its common grammatical forms are:

Form	Word	Example
Base form	Apprise	Please apprise the team.
Third-person singular	Apprises	She apprises her manager.
Present participle	Apprising	He is apprising the board.
Simple past	Apprised	They apprised us yesterday.
Past participle	Apprised	We have been apprised of the change.

Common Expressions With Apprise

Apprise is frequently used in the following expressions:

• Apprise someone of a decision
• Apprise the team of a change
• Apprise customers of an update
• Apprise management of a problem
• Apprise someone of the facts
• Keep someone apprised of developments
• Be fully apprised of a situation

Apprise: Example Sentences

Here are five examples that demonstrate the correct use of apprise.

1. Please apprise the manager of any changes to the project schedule.
2. The school principal will apprise parents of the updated safety procedures.
3. We were apprised of the delivery delay by email.
4. The attorney promised to apprise her client of any new developments.
5. The company keeps its employees apprised of important policy changes.

Notice that apprise usually involves a person receiving information. It does not mean evaluating the quality or value of something.

Appraise vs. Apprise: Comparison Table

The following table summarizes the important differences between the two words.

Feature	Appraise	Apprise
Part of speech	Verb	Verb
Main meaning	Evaluate or assess	Inform or notify
Primary purpose	Make a judgment	Share information
Common object	Property, jewelry, performance, value	A person who needs information
Common context	Real estate, finance, reviews, insurance	Business updates, notices, reports
Example phrase	Appraise a house	Apprise someone of a change
Past tense	Appraised	Apprised
Present participle	Appraising	Apprising
Related noun	Appraisal	No equally common direct noun form
Simple alternative	Evaluate	Inform

Easy Way to Remember the Difference

Use these memory tips:

• Appraise = Assess. Both words begin with “A,” making this a useful reminder that appraise involves assessment.
• Apprise = Inform. Think of apprise as giving someone important information.
• If you are estimating a price or judging quality, use appraise.
• If you are telling someone about a situation, use apprise.

For example, you appraise a house but apprise a buyer of the results.

When Should You Use Appraise?

Use appraise when you need to describe an evaluation, assessment, or estimate. The word is appropriate when someone examines something to determine its worth, condition, quality, or performance.

Common Situations for Appraise

1. Real Estate

Real estate professionals appraise homes, apartments, and commercial properties to estimate their market value.

Example: The lender requested an appraisal before finalizing the mortgage.

2. Jewelry and Antiques

Experts appraise valuable objects to estimate their worth based on factors such as age, condition, authenticity, and market demand.

Example: The dealer will appraise the antique necklace.

3. Employee Performance

Managers appraise employees by reviewing their work, skills, achievements, and areas for improvement.

Example: The department head will appraise the team’s performance next month.

4. Insurance Claims

Insurance professionals may arrange an appraisal to estimate the value of damaged or lost property.

Example: An independent specialist appraised the vehicle after the accident.

5. Business and Financial Decisions

Companies may appraise assets, investments, or business opportunities before making financial decisions.

Example: The firm hired a consultant to appraise its equipment.

When Should You Use Apprise?

Use apprise when you want to communicate information to someone. It is suitable for formal situations where a person needs to know about a decision, event, change, or development.

Common Situations for Apprise

1. Workplace Updates

Managers can apprise employees of changes to schedules, policies, responsibilities, or company procedures.

Example: The supervisor apprised the staff of the new working hours.

2. Business Communication

Companies may apprise clients or business partners of important developments.

Example: The account manager apprised the client of the revised proposal.

3. Legal Communication

Attorneys may apprise their clients of case updates, legal decisions, or new information.

Example: The lawyer apprised her client of the court’s decision.

4. Education

School administrators can apprise parents, teachers, and students of important announcements.

Example: The principal apprised families of the upcoming school closure.

5. Medical Communication

Healthcare professionals may apprise patients of relevant information about their care.

Example: The physician apprised the patient of the available treatment options.

More Practical Examples of Appraise vs. Apprise

The best way to understand these words is to see them in different everyday and professional situations.

Examples Using Appraise

1. The jeweler will appraise the gold ring before making an offer.
2. The company hired an outside consultant to appraise its current operations.
3. The real estate agent recommended that we appraise the property before listing it.
4. The art dealer carefully appraised the sculpture.
5. The supervisor is appraising the employee’s progress.
6. The insurance adjuster arranged for an expert to appraise the damaged furniture.

Examples Using Apprise

1. Please apprise me of any changes to the meeting time.
2. The director apprised the board of the latest financial results.
3. The customer service team will apprise customers of the updated return policy.
4. Keep me apprised of your progress throughout the project.
5. The department manager apprised everyone of the new safety requirements.
6. We were apprised of the situation as soon as the report arrived.

Sentences Using Both Words

Using both words in the same sentence can make their difference especially clear.

• The expert will appraise the property and apprise the owner of its estimated value.
• The manager will appraise employee performance and apprise the team of the review results.
• The insurance company will appraise the damage and apprise the customer of its decision.
• The consultant will appraise the business assets and apprise the owners of the findings.
• The specialist appraised the painting and apprised the museum director of its estimated value.

These examples show that appraise describes the assessment, while apprise describes the communication of information.

Common Mistakes When Using Appraise and Apprise

Even experienced writers sometimes confuse these words. Understanding common errors can help you choose the correct spelling and meaning.

Mistake 1: Using Apprise When You Mean Evaluate

Incorrect: The expert will apprise the antique to determine its value.

Correct: The expert will appraise the antique to determine its value.

Why? The expert is estimating the object’s worth, not informing someone.

Mistake 2: Using Appraise When You Mean Inform

Incorrect: Please appraise me of the latest developments.

Correct: Please apprise me of the latest developments.

Why? The sentence asks someone to provide information.

Mistake 3: Forgetting the Preposition After Apprise

A common formal construction is apprise someone of something.

Correct examples:

• Apprise the manager of the delay.
• Apprise customers of the new policy.
• Keep the team apprised of the situation.

The preposition “of” is important in this construction.

Mistake 4: Confusing Appraise With Appraisal

Appraise is a verb, while appraisal is a noun.

• Verb: The expert will appraise the property.
• Noun: The property appraisal is complete.

Use appraise to describe the action and appraisal to name the evaluation.

Mistake 5: Treating the Words as Interchangeable

Appraise and apprise are not synonyms. Replacing one with the other changes the meaning of the sentence.

Remember these simple questions:

• Are you judging value or quality? Use appraise.
• Are you giving someone information? Use apprise.

Related Words and Expressions

Learning related vocabulary can make it easier to understand the difference between appraise and apprise.

Words Related to Appraise

• Evaluate: To judge the quality, value, or effectiveness of something.
• Assess: To examine or estimate something.
• Estimate: To calculate an approximate amount or value.
• Value: To determine or express the worth of something.
• Appraisal: An evaluation or estimate of value.

Words Related to Apprise

• Inform: To give someone information.
• Notify: To formally tell someone about something.
• Advise: To provide information or guidance.
• Update: To provide the latest information.
• Alert: To make someone aware of a possible issue or important event.

These alternatives are useful when you want simpler wording. For example, “inform the team” is often more conversational than “apprise the team.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the main difference between appraise and apprise?

Appraise means to evaluate or estimate the value of something. Apprise means to inform someone about a situation or development.

2. Is appraise a verb or a noun?

Appraise is a verb. Its related noun is appraisal, which means an evaluation or estimate of value.

3. Is apprise a verb?

Yes. Apprise is a verb that means to inform, notify, or make someone aware of something.

4. What is an easy way to remember appraise vs. apprise?

Remember that appraise means assess, while apprise means inform. You appraise an object and apprise a person.

5. Is it correct to say “keep me apprised”?

Yes. “Keep me apprised” is a correct and common formal expression meaning “keep me informed” or “keep me updated.”

6. Can appraise and apprise be used in the same sentence?

Yes. For example: “The expert will appraise the house and apprise the owner of its estimated value.”

7. Are appraise and apprise pronounced the same way?

No. They sound similar but differ in their vowel sounds: appraise is commonly pronounced uh-PRAYZ, while apprise is pronounced uh-PRIZE.

Conclusion

The difference between appraise and apprise comes down to two simple actions: evaluating and informing. Use appraise when describing an assessment of value, quality, condition, or performance. Use apprise when describing the act of telling someone about important information or developments. Although their spelling and pronunciation are similar, their meanings are not interchangeable.

To remember the distinction, think appraise = assess and apprise = inform. Practice the examples, pay attention to the context, and use the correct word in your emails, reports, business documents, and everyday writing. With a little practice, choosing between appraise and apprise will become much easier.