Appraise vs. Apprise helps you understand the difference: appraise means to assess value, while apprise means to inform someone about something clearly.
To appraise means to assess, evaluate, or estimate the value, quality, or worth of something. In real estate, an agent may appraise a house or property before a listing. An appraiser may complete an appraisal to determine its overall worth, whether it involves fine art, employee performance, or valuable personal belongings.
By contrast, apprise means to inform, notify, or tell someone about something. It focuses on information and awareness, rather than value. For example, a manager may apprise the team about a new deadline. Remember the key difference: appraise involves judging value, while apprise involves sharing information or making someone aware.
Appraise vs. Apprise: The Simple Rule
Here’s the fastest way to remember the difference:
- Appraise = evaluate, assess, or estimate value
- Apprise = inform, notify, or bring someone up to date
Consider these two sentences:
The jeweler appraised the diamond at $8,000.
The manager apprised the team of the schedule change.
In the first sentence, someone evaluates something. In the second, someone gives information to someone else.
| Word | Basic Meaning | Usually Involves | Example |
| Appraise | Evaluate or estimate | A thing, person, situation, or value | The expert appraised the painting. |
| Apprise | Inform or notify | A person who needs information | She apprised us of the changes. |
A useful mental shortcut is simple: Appraise asks, “What is this worth or how good is it?” Apprise asks, “Who needs to know?”
What Does Appraise Mean?
Appraise is a verb meaning to evaluate, assess, judge, or determine the value of something. The evaluation may involve money, quality, performance, condition, or overall suitability.
For example:
The agent appraised the house before putting it on the market.
Here, the agent evaluates the property’s features, condition, location, and other relevant factors to estimate its value.
The word often appears in professional settings where someone needs to make a careful judgment rather than simply look at something casually.
When to Use Appraise
You can use appraise when someone examines something and forms an assessment.
Common contexts include:
- Property: An expert appraises a home before a sale or mortgage.
- Jewelry: A specialist appraises a diamond or antique.
- Art: An expert appraises a painting to estimate its value.
- Performance: A supervisor appraises an employee’s work.
- Situations: Someone appraises a situation before deciding what to do.
- Assets: A professional appraises equipment, collectibles, or other valuable items.
The important idea is evaluation.
Appraise in Business and Real Estate
Real estate provides one of the clearest examples of appraise.
Suppose you’re buying a house listed for $400,000. A qualified appraiser examines the property and considers factors such as its condition, size, location, features, and comparable properties. The appraiser then provides an estimated market value.
You could say:
The bank ordered an appraisal before approving the mortgage.
Or:
The appraiser appraised the property at $385,000.
Notice the related noun appraisal. An appraisal is the evaluation itself.
Performance reviews also use this vocabulary:
The company appraised her performance at the end of the year.
In this context, the company isn’t determining a dollar value. Instead, it’s evaluating performance.
Appraise in Everyday English
Although appraise often appears in professional writing, you can use it more broadly.
For example:
Before making a decision, she carefully appraised the situation.
This means she assessed the circumstances and considered what was happening.
You could also write:
He paused to appraise the damage after the storm.
Here, he examines the damage to understand its extent or seriousness.
Examples of Appraise in a Sentence
- The expert appraised the antique clock at $2,500.
- The realtor appraised the house before listing it.
- The manager appraised the employee’s performance.
- The collector asked someone to appraise the rare coin.
- We need to appraise the risks before investing.
- She carefully appraised the situation before responding.
- The specialist appraised the painting based on its condition and history.
- The company regularly appraises its equipment and assets.
In every example, the verb centers on assessment or evaluation.
What Does Apprise Mean?
Apprise means to inform, notify, or tell someone about something. It generally appears when one person gives another person information that they need or should know.
A particularly common structure is:
apprise someone of something
For example:
Please apprise me of any changes to the schedule.
This means, “Please inform me about any changes.”
Another common expression is:
Keep me apprised.
That means keep me informed or updated.
The Pattern “Apprise Someone of Something”
The grammar pattern is important because apprise isn’t normally used in the same way as everyday verbs such as tell.
The standard structure is:
apprise + person + of + information
Examples:
- Please apprise me of the situation.
- The director apprised the staff of the new policy.
- We were apprised of the latest developments.
- She apprised her manager of the problem.
This construction tends to sound formal. In casual conversation, people often choose tell, inform, or update instead.
For example:
Please tell me about the changes.
sounds more conversational than:
Please apprise me of the changes.
Both can be correct. The difference is mainly one of register and style.
Why “Keep Me Apprised” Is So Common
You’ve probably seen keep me apprised in business emails, legal documents, government communications, and formal workplace writing.
It means:
Keep me informed about what is happening.
For example:
Please keep me apprised of any developments.
This doesn’t mean someone should evaluate the developments. It means they should provide updates.
You might also see:
- Keep us apprised of the situation.
- Keep your supervisor apprised of any delays.
- Please keep me fully apprised.
- The board was kept apprised of the investigation.
The word apprised is simply the past participle of apprise.
Examples of Apprise in a Sentence
- Please apprise me of any changes.
- The manager apprised the team of the new deadline.
- We were apprised of the decision yesterday.
- She apprised her colleagues of the potential problem.
- Keep me apprised of your progress.
- The lawyer apprised the client of the risks.
- The director kept the board apprised of developments.
- They immediately apprised the authorities of the situation.
Every example involves giving information to someone.
Appraise vs. Apprise: Side-by-Side Comparison
The easiest way to see the difference is to put the two verbs next to each other.
| Feature | Appraise | Apprise |
| Meaning | Evaluate or assess | Inform or notify |
| Main action | Judging something | Giving information |
| Common object | Value, quality, performance, situation | Person who needs information |
| Common pattern | Appraise something | Apprise someone of something |
| Related noun | Appraisal | No equally common everyday noun |
| Past tense | Appraised | Apprised |
| Common phrase | Property appraisal | Keep me apprised |
| Formality | Neutral to formal | Usually formal |
| Simple synonym | Assess | Inform |
Here’s another useful distinction:
Appraise focuses on what you are evaluating. Apprise focuses on who you’re informing.
That difference can rescue you when the spelling starts to blur.
The 10-Second Word Choice Test
When you’re unsure which word to use, stop thinking about spelling. Ask yourself one question:
Are You Evaluating Something?
If yes, choose appraise.
The expert will appraise the sculpture.
The expert is evaluating it.
Are You Informing Someone?
If yes, choose apprise.
Please apprise the committee of the decision.
The committee receives information.
This quick test works because the two verbs represent different directions of action.
Appraise → examine and evaluate.
Apprise → communicate information.
Imagine a simple workplace scenario. Your boss asks you to determine whether a project is financially worthwhile. You appraise the project. Once you’ve reached a conclusion, you apprise your team of the results.
One task evaluates. The other communicates.
Appraise vs. Apprise in Workplace English
These words appear frequently in professional communication, although apprise is more formal.
Imagine a manager reviewing an employee’s annual performance. The manager might appraise the employee’s results, productivity, teamwork, and progress.
Later, the manager might apprise the employee of a new company policy.
For example:
The supervisor appraised Jordan’s performance during the annual review.
The supervisor apprised Jordan of the updated attendance policy.
The distinction is sharp. The first sentence describes evaluation. The second describes communication.
In ordinary workplace emails, however, simpler words may often sound more natural:
- Appraise → assess, evaluate, review
- Apprise → inform, notify, update
That doesn’t make apprise incorrect. It simply means you should consider your audience. If clarity matters more than formality, inform or update may be the better choice.
Also Read This: Persue or Pursue? Never Misspell This Word Again
Appraise vs. Apprise in Formal Writing
Apprise has a distinctly formal flavor. You may encounter it in legal correspondence, official reports, corporate communications, and formal notices.
For example:
The committee was fully apprised of the potential consequences.
This sounds polished and official.
In everyday conversation, you’d probably say:
The committee was fully informed about the potential consequences.
Meanwhile, appraise is more common across both formal and practical contexts because words such as appraisal, appraiser, and appraised value are well established in fields like real estate and finance.
When Simpler Words Are Better
Good writing isn’t about choosing the fanciest word available. It’s about choosing the word that communicates your meaning clearly.
Compare:
Please apprise me of your current position.
with:
Please update me on your current position.
The first is formal. The second feels more direct.
Both can work. Choose based on the context.
Appraise vs. Praise vs. Apprise
Here’s where things get even trickier.
Appraise, praise, and apprise look related, but they don’t mean the same thing.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
| Appraise | Evaluate or assess | The expert appraised the ring. |
| Praise | Express approval or admiration | The teacher praised her work. |
| Apprise | Inform or notify | He apprised us of the changes. |
Consider three different actions involving an employee.
A manager might appraise the employee’s performance.
The manager might praise the employee for excellent work.
Then the manager might apprise the employee of a new workplace policy.
One person can perform all three actions in the same meeting. Yet each verb describes something different.
A useful memory chain is:
Appraise = assess.
Praise = compliment.
Apprise = inform.
Don’t let the similar spellings fool you.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using Apprise When You Mean Evaluate
Incorrect:
The jeweler apprised the diamond at $5,000.
Correct:
The jeweler appraised the diamond at $5,000.
The jeweler is determining the diamond’s value, so appraise is correct.
Using Appraise When You Mean Inform
Incorrect:
Please appraise me of the changes.
Correct:
Please apprise me of the changes.
The speaker wants information, not an evaluation.
Confusing Appraise With Praise
Incorrect:
The manager appraised her for completing the project early.
If the manager expressed approval, the correct verb is praised.
The manager praised her for completing the project early.
However, if the manager formally evaluated her performance, appraised could work.
Forgetting “Of” With Apprise
A common formal construction is:
apprise someone of something
For example:
Please apprise us of any developments.
Not:
Please apprise us any developments.
The preposition of is an important part of the standard construction.
Appraise vs. Apprise Memory Tricks
If you repeatedly confuse these words, attach a memorable idea to each one.
Appraise = Assess
Both appraise and assess begin with the idea of examining something to reach a judgment.
Think:
Appraise → Assess → Analyze
That mental chain points toward evaluation.
Apprise = Alert
Think of apprise as putting someone in the know.
Apprise → Alert → Inform
When someone is apprised, they have received information.
Praise = Compliment
Keep praise in its own mental box.
Praise → Approval
If you’re saying something positive about someone’s work, you probably mean praise, not appraise or apprise.
Appraise vs. Apprise: Quick Practice Quiz
Choose appraise, apprise, or praise in each sentence.
- The bank hired an expert to ___ the property.
- Please ___ me of any changes to the schedule.
- The coach ___ the players for their effort.
- The company will ___ employee performance this month.
- We need to ___ the risks before moving forward.
- The director ___ the board of the latest developments.
- The teacher ___ Maya for her excellent presentation.
- The jeweler ___ the necklace before insuring it.
Answer Key
- appraise — The property is being evaluated.
- apprise — Someone needs to be informed.
- praised — The coach expressed approval.
- appraise — Employee performance is being evaluated.
- appraise — The risks are being assessed.
- apprised — The board received information.
- praised — The teacher expressed approval.
- appraised — The necklace was evaluated for value.
If you can identify whether the sentence involves evaluation, information, or approval, the correct word usually becomes obvious.
Appraisal vs. Apprisal: Don’t Mix Up the Nouns
One more spelling trap deserves attention.
The standard noun related to appraise is appraisal.
For example:
The bank requested a property appraisal.
Apprisal isn’t the standard noun you should use for the act of informing someone.
If you need a noun for apprise, use a more natural term such as:
- information
- notification
- notice
- update
- briefing
For example:
We received an update about the project.
This distinction matters because the familiar -al ending in appraisal can tempt writers to create a similar-looking noun from apprise.
Appraised vs. Apprised
The past forms are also easy to confuse.
Appraised means evaluated.
The house was appraised at $450,000.
Apprised means informed.
The owners were apprised of the decision.
A simple substitution test helps:
If you can replace the word with evaluated, use appraised.
If you can replace it with informed, use apprised.
Compare These Sentences
The inspector appraised the building.
The inspector evaluated the building.
The inspector apprised the owner of the damage.
The inspector informed the owner about the damage.
Both sentences can describe the same event, but the verbs highlight different actions.
FAQs:
What does appraise mean?
Appraise means to assess, evaluate, or estimate the value, quality, or worth of something. For example, an appraiser may appraise a house to determine its market value.
What does apprise mean?
Apprise means to inform, notify, or tell someone about something. It focuses on providing information or creating awareness, rather than judging value.
What is the difference between appraise and apprise?
The main difference is their meaning. Appraise relates to assessing value or quality, while apprise relates to giving information. You appraise a property, but you apprise someone of important news.
Is appraise used for people?
Yes. Appraise can describe evaluating someone’s performance, skills, or work. For example, a manager might appraise an employee’s performance during a formal review.
How can I remember appraise vs. apprise?
Use this simple memory trick: appraise is connected with value and assessment, while apprise is connected with information and awareness. Think, “I appraise something, but I apprise someone.”
Conclusion:
Understanding appraise vs. apprise becomes easier when you focus on their core meanings. Appraise means to assess value, quality, or worth, while apprise means to inform or notify someone. Remember this simple distinction whenever you write. You can appraise a property, performance, or object, but you apprise someone of information, news, changes, or important details.
