Have you seen both ‘appraise’ and ‘apprise’ and wondered what the difference is between the words? We’ll go over that in detail in this article, plus you’ll learn how to use both words correctly in a sentence. You’ll also learn the correct pronunciation for each word.
In short, the difference is:
- ‘Appraise’ is a verb that means to determine or assess the value of.
- ‘Apprise’ is also a verb that means to inform or notify.
These words might look similar, but they have different meanings and spellings. Therefore, you cannot use them interchangeably.
Know Your English – Difference Between ‘Appraise’ and ‘Apprise’
As you just learned, the difference between ‘appraise’ and ‘apprise’ is that the former is a verb that means to determine or assess the value of.
The latter is also a verb, but it means to inform or notify.
They clearly have different meanings, but people still often confuse them. If you can remember what they both mean, you should have no problem using them in a sentence.
We’ll look at some examples in a later section.
‘Appraise’ vs. ‘Apprise’ – Choose Your Words
Are you wondering which word to use?
If you’re talking about determining how much something is worth (or assessing its value), you will use the word ‘appraise.’
If you’re talking about informing or notifying someone, use ‘apprise.’
Use this trick to remember the difference:
- You have to notify people before an ‘uprise,’ which sounds like ‘apprise.’
Definition of ‘Appraise’: What Does ‘Appraise’ Mean?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ‘appraise’ as:
- Setting a value one (to estimate the amount of).
It could also mean:
- To evaluate the worth, significance, or status of (especially: to give an expert judgment of the value or merit of).
Synonyms of the word include:
- Assess
- Guestimate
- Valuate
- Estimate
- Rate
- Value
- Evaluate
- Set
Definition of ‘Apprise’: What Does ‘Apprise’ Mean?
The same dictionary defines ‘apprise’ as:
- To give notice to or tell.
Synonyms of this word include:
- Acquaint
- Catch up
- Enlighten
- Hip
- Tell
- Advise
- Clear
- Familiarize
- Inform
- Verse
- Brief
- Clue (in)
- Fill in
- Instruct
- Wise (up)
Pronunciation: How to Pronounce ‘Appraise’ and ‘Apprise’
Are you curious about how to pronounce these words?
Here’s a short guide.
To pronounce ‘appraise’ correctly, here’s the phonetic spelling:
UH-PRAYZ
To pronounce ‘apprise’ correctly, here’s the phonetic spelling:
UH-PRYZ
How to Use ‘Appraise’ and ‘Apprise’ in a Sentence
Now that we know what both words mean and we know how to pronounce them, let’s see some examples of how to use them both in a sentence.
Appraise
- Before I sell my house, I have to get the appraised value of it so I know how to price it. It’s a seller’s market, so I should be able to get what I’m asking for or more.
- I have a lot of jewelry, but I’m willing to part with some of it. I have to get it all appraised before I can sell anything.
- My favorite blogger just appraised some of the top marketing products on the market. She gives her honest opinion so her users can make good purchases.
- The art dealer appraised the painting at $1.2 million, which stunned me. I had no idea Richard had spent that kind of money on paintings for his den.
- The property’s appraised value was below what we initially thought. Therefore, I don’t think it’s a good idea that you purchase it at the asking price.
- We just bought a classic car from an antique dealer, and we have to get it appraised. I hope we didn’t blow all our money on a dud.
Apprise
- The principal apprised Tony that he was being expelled for the senior prank just weeks before graduation. His father was furious, and he was grounded that whole summer.
- I apprised my co-workers that I would be putting in my two-week notice. Now that my business is taking off, I don’t need my regular day job anymore.
- I apprised Human Resources of my complaint against the person who’s been harassing me every day about what time I arrive at the office.
- When my sister asked me, ‘What are you doing?’ I apprised her that I go to the beach every afternoon in the summer, which I shouldn’t have done because she asked to come with me.
- She saw no reason to apprise the board about the video if they hadn’t seen it on social media. She decided to keep it to herself until she was able to get her seat on the board.
- I’m so grateful you took the time to apprise me of dad’s health. You said he was in the hospital last week, but how is he now? Has he been discharged yet?
Final Thoughts on ‘Appraise’ and ‘Apprise’
To recap, we learned that:
- ‘Appraise’ is a verb that means to determine or assess the value of.
- ‘Apprise’ is also a verb that means to inform or notify.
These words might look similar, but they have different meanings and spellings. Therefore, you cannot use them interchangeably.
If you ever get stuck on anything, you can always come back here to review what you learned. We’ve got a whole library of content on confusing words and phrases you might see as you’re learning the language. Feel free to check it out whenever you need to.
