Appraise vs. Apprise
“Appraise” means to examine and judge the quality, condition, needs, success, or value of something. “Apprise” is a formal verb meaning to inform someone about something, commonly in the pattern “apprise someone of something.”
Use “appraise” for evaluate or assess. Use “apprise” for inform or notify: you can appraise a situation, but you apprise someone of the situation.
Key details
Further guidance
Construction Cue
“Apprise” commonly takes a person as its object followed by “of”: “apprise the team of the change.” “Appraise” normally takes the thing, situation, performance, property, or need being evaluated.
Core difference
The verbs are close in spelling but not meaning. “Appraise” concerns evaluation; “apprise” concerns communication of information.
Fast Test
If “evaluate” fits, choose appraise. If “inform” or “notify” fits, choose apprise.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Appraise — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Meaning and grammatical role of appraise
- Apprise — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Meaning, register and construction of apprise