Quick answer: Appraised means assessed or valued, as when an expert appraises a house. Apprised means informed, as in “keep me apprised of any changes.” One judges worth, and the other shares information.
Appraised vs Apprised Quiz: Which Word Fits?
To assess the value, quality, or nature of something.
To inform or notify someone: apprised of the situation.
An assessment of value or performance, such as a home appraisal.
A common phrase meaning keep me informed.
Tip: on a phone, tap a card to flip it.
The appraised vs apprised mix-up is common because the two words differ by only one letter and sound alike when spoken quickly. Each is a real word with its own meaning, so using the wrong one changes what your sentence says. The sections below explain each word, and the quiz above lets you test yourself first.
| Term | Meaning | Part of speech / Category | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| appraised | Assessed the value or quality of something | Verb (past tense) | The jeweler appraised the ring at $2,000. |
| apprised | Informed or notified | Verb (past tense) | She apprised the team of the new deadline. |
| appraisal | An assessment of value or performance | Noun | The home appraisal came back higher than expected. |
| apprised of | Informed about something | Common phrase | Please keep me apprised of any changes. |
Appraised vs Apprised: Which Word Should You Use?
Use appraised when you are judging the value or quality of something, and use apprised when you are informing someone. If a sentence is about telling a person something, you want apprised.
A simple swap test helps. Replace the word with evaluated, and if the sentence still works, use appraised. Replace it with informed, and if that fits, use apprised.
What does appraised mean?
Appraised is the past tense of appraise, which means to assess the value, quality, or nature of something. It is the word for estimates, evaluations, and expert opinions.
For example: “The antique dealer appraised the vase before the auction.” People also appraise a person’s performance or a situation, as in “The coach appraised the team’s chances.” The noun form is appraisal, and a person who does this work is an appraiser. Appraise rhymes with praise.
What does apprised mean?
Apprised is the past tense of apprise, which means to inform or notify someone. It is almost always used with of, as in apprised of the situation.
For example: “The manager apprised the staff of the new schedule.” You will also see it in the phrase keep me apprised, which means keep me informed. Apprise is a fairly formal word, so it appears most often in business, legal, and official writing. It rhymes with surprise.
Is it “keep me apprised” or “keep me appraised”?
The correct phrase is “keep me apprised,” meaning keep me informed. “Keep me appraised” is a common mistake, because appraised refers to assessing value.
Think about what you are asking. When you say keep me apprised, you want updates, so the word must mean informed. If you wrote keep me appraised, you would be asking someone to keep evaluating you, which is not the intended meaning.
Are appraised and apprised pronounced the same?
No, the two words are pronounced differently, although the difference is easy to miss. Appraise has a long “ay” sound like praise, while apprise has a long “eye” sound like surprise.
In fast speech, the stressed vowel can blur, which is one reason people confuse them in writing. Saying each word aloud with its rhyming partner is a quick way to check you have the right one.
How can you remember which one to use?
Link appraise to praise and apprise to surprise. The memory tricks below help, and the common mistakes show what to avoid.
Common mistakes with appraised and apprised
✗ Keep me appraised of any changes.
✓ Keep me apprised of any changes.
✗ The jeweler apprised the necklace.
✓ The jeweler appraised the necklace.
✗ She appraised her boss of the delay.
✓ She apprised her boss of the delay.
✗ We had the house apprised before selling it.
✓ We had the house appraised before selling it.
✗ The committee apprised his work and gave it a low score.
✓ The committee appraised his work and gave it a low score.
Memory tricks
1. Appraise has “praise”: Appraise contains praise, which is a kind of judgment of worth. Appraising is judging value.
2. Apprise rhymes with surprise: You apprise someone by telling them something, sometimes a surprise.
3. The swap test: Replace the word with evaluated or informed. Whichever one fits tells you the right spelling.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between appraised and apprised?
Appraised means assessed or valued, while apprised means informed.
What does apprised of mean?
Apprised of means informed about something, as in apprised of the situation.
Is it keep me apprised or keep me appraised?
The correct phrase is keep me apprised, meaning keep me informed.
Are appraise and apprise pronounced the same?
No. Appraise rhymes with praise, while apprise rhymes with surprise.
What is the noun form of appraise?
The noun is appraisal, meaning an assessment of value or quality.
Final thoughts on appraised vs apprised
The appraised vs apprised choice comes down to purpose: appraised is about judging value, while apprised is about informing someone. Remember that appraise holds praise and apprise rhymes with surprise, and you will pick the right word every time. Share this with someone who mixes these up!