appraisal

noun

ap·​prais·​al ə-ˈprā-zəl 

: 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

Synonyms

• appraisement
• assessment
• estimate
• estimation
• evaluation
• fix
• judgment
• judgement
• value judgment

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

Yet, when the dresses arrived at the U.S. Custom House in New York in December 1890, federal officers, who suspected they were undervalued intentionally to avoid the tariff, seized them and sent them for appraisal. —Einav Rabinovitch-Fox / Made By History, TIME, 7 Jan. 2025

These appraisals affect critical decisions, often leading to high-risk behavior. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

Set Financial Boundaries: Allocate a specific portion of your portfolio for alternative investments, keeping costs like storage, insurance, and appraisals in mind. —Matthew F. Erskine, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024

Prices for Malibu real estate has greatly risen over recent decades, with the median sales price clocking in at $3.5 million in 2024’s third quarter, real estate appraisal firm Miller Samuel reports. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

appraise + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing appraisal

• self-appraisal

Kids Definition

appraisal

noun

ap·​prais·​al ə-ˈprā-zəl 

: an act or instance of appraising

Legal Definition

appraisal

noun

ap·​prais·​al ə-ˈprā-zəl 

: 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