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
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
Even the most complimentary appraisals of Raphael, which celebrate his multimodal genius—painter, draftsman, architect, poet, surveyor of antiquities—also mention his exquisite social tact and career climbing. —
Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026 Real costs like loan documents, appraisal and credit report fees are excluded from the APR. —Jeff Lazerson, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026 The Tarrant Appraisal Districts website lists the total appraisal value in 2025 at $3,073,802. —Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2026 The staff contracted independent fair market appraisals (usually two) for acquisition. —U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for appraisal
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026 Real costs like loan documents, appraisal and credit report fees are excluded from the APR. —Jeff Lazerson, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026 The Tarrant Appraisal Districts website lists the total appraisal value in 2025 at $3,073,802. —Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2026 The staff contracted independent fair market appraisals (usually two) for acquisition. —U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for appraisal
Cite this Entry
“Appraisal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/appraisal. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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