“Apprised” and “appraised” are often confused because they look and sound similar. However, they have completely different meanings in English.
The key idea: informed vs evaluated.
Understanding this difference will help you avoid mistakes in professional, academic, and everyday writing.
Quick Answer
- ✅ Apprised – Informed or made aware of something
- ✅ Appraised – Evaluated or assessed the value or quality of something
- ✏️ Remember: Apprised = informed, Appraised = evaluated
Clear Explanation
What Does “Apprised” Mean?
Apprised is the past tense of the verb apprise.
👉 It means:
- informed
- notified
- made aware
Examples:
- She was apprised of the situation.
- The manager apprised employees of the changes.
- We were apprised of the risks beforehand.
- He apprised the team about the deadline.
- Customers were apprised of new policies.
👉 “Apprised” usually appears in:
- formal communication
- business writing
- official updates
Common Uses of “Apprised”
1. Informing Someone
Examples:
- Please keep me apprised of developments.
- The lawyer apprised the client of their rights.
2. Official Updates
Examples:
- Staff were apprised of the emergency procedures.
- Investors were apprised of financial changes.
3. Formal Notifications
Examples:
- Residents were apprised of construction plans.
- Officials apprised the public of safety measures.
What Does “Appraised” Mean?
Appraised is the past tense of the verb appraise.
👉 It means:
- evaluated
- assessed
- estimated the value or quality of something
Examples:
- The house was appraised at $300,000.
- Experts appraised the painting.
- Her performance was appraised positively.
- The jewelry was professionally appraised.
- The company appraised employee performance yearly.
👉 “Appraised” often relates to:
- value
- quality
- performance
- property
Common Uses of “Appraised”
1. Property Value
Examples:
- The home was appraised before sale.
- Banks require appraised property values.
2. Employee Evaluation
Examples:
- Workers were appraised annually.
- The manager appraised staff performance.
3. Valuable Objects
Examples:
- The antique was appraised by experts.
- Collectors appraised the rare coin.
Key Difference
| Feature | Apprised | Appraised |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Informed or notified | Evaluated or assessed |
| Focus | Information | Value or quality |
| Common Contexts | Communication, updates | Property, performance, valuables |
| Example | Apprised of the news | Appraised the house |
Which One to Use and When
Use “Apprised” When:
- Talking about informing someone
Examples:
- Apprised of changes
- Apprised of risks
- Apprised of developments
- Apprised of news
- Apprised of updates
Example Sentences:
- Please keep me apprised of progress.
- The staff were apprised of policy changes.
- She apprised the team about the issue.
Use “Appraised” When:
- Talking about evaluating value or quality
Examples:
- Appraised value
- Appraised property
- Appraised performance
- Appraised jewelry
- Appraised artwork
Example Sentences:
- The apartment was appraised professionally.
- Experts appraised the sculpture carefully.
- Employee performance was appraised yearly.
Common Mistakes People Make
1. Using “Appraised” for Information
❌ He appraised me of the changes
✅ He apprised me of the changes
👉 “Apprised” means informed.
2. Using “Apprised” for Evaluation
❌ The house was apprised at $500,000
✅ The house was appraised at $500,000
👉 “Appraised” means evaluated.
3. Confusing Similar Spellings
Only one letter changes the meaning completely.
4. Forgetting Context Clues
- information → apprised
- value/evaluation → appraised
5. Mixing Formal Business Terms
Both words appear frequently in professional writing.
Easy Memory Trick
👉 Apprised = aware/informed
👉 Appraised = assessed/value
Think:
- appraised → price/value
- apprised → aware
Real-Life Examples
Correct Use of “Apprised”
- Keep me apprised of new developments.
- Employees were apprised of schedule changes.
- The doctor apprised patients of the risks.
Correct Use of “Appraised”
- The car was appraised by a professional.
- Banks appraised the property carefully.
- Her performance was highly appraised.
Practice Exercise
Fill in the blanks:
- The manager ______ staff of the new rules.
- The property was ______ last month.
- Please keep us ______ of any updates.
Answers:
- apprised
- appraised
- apprised
Quick Quiz
- Which word means “informed”?
a) Appraised
b) Apprised - Which word means “evaluated”?
a) Apprised
b) Appraised - Which sentence is correct?
a) The house was apprised at $200,000
b) The house was appraised at $200,000
Correct Answers:
- b) Apprised
- b) Appraised
- b) The house was appraised at $200,000
Why This Confusion Happens
The confusion happens because:
- both words look very similar
- both are formal verbs
- both commonly appear in professional writing
However:
- apprised relates to information
- appraised relates to evaluation or value
Helpful Tip for Better Writing
If the sentence involves:
- informing someone → use apprised
- judging value or quality → use appraised
Conclusion
The difference between “apprised” and “appraised” is about information versus evaluation. Apprised means informed or notified, while appraised means evaluated or assessed.
👉 Apprised = informed
👉 Appraised = evaluated
Learning this distinction will help you communicate more accurately in formal and professional English.
Michael Anderson is a professional editor and senior contributor with a background in long-form content and strategic writing. He focuses on quality, structure, and credibility across all publications. Michael brings years of experience in content development and ensures high editorial standards for every project.
