“They appraised the house” or “They apprised the house”? These two words look and sound alike, but they mean completely different things. You are not alone! Today, we will explain exactly what appraise vs apprise means, with a simple trick to remember it forever.

What Is the Simple Difference?

Appraise is a verb — to judge the value or worth of something (like a house or an antique).

Apprise is a verb — to inform or tell someone about something.

• Appraise = judge the value (price).
• Apprise = inform someone (news).

Think of it this way: you appraise a price, but you apprise a person.

Appraise: To Judge the Value

Appraise means to set or judge the value of something — how much it is worth.

• “The expert appraised the painting at one million dollars.”
• “We need to appraise the house before selling it.”
• “She appraised the situation carefully.” (judged it)

If it is about value or worth, it is appraise — with the double P.

Apprise: To Inform Someone

Apprise means to tell or inform someone — to give them news or facts.

• “Please apprise me of any changes.” (tell me)
• “He apprised the manager of the problem.”
• “Keep me apprised of the results.”

If it means telling someone something, it is apprise — single P, like “inform” and “report.”

The Easy Trick to Remember

• Appraise has a double P — think Price. It is about value.
• Apprise has one P — think “a-prise” sounds like “surprise,” and surprises are news you tell someone.

Price = appraise (double P). News = apprise (one P). That is the whole trick!

Example Pairs

• Appraise: “The jeweler appraised the ring.” / Apprise: “The jeweler apprised me of the cost.”
• Appraise: “They appraised the car at $5,000.” / Apprise: “They apprised us of the delay.”
• Appraise: “An agent will appraise the land.” / Apprise: “Please apprise the agent of our decision.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Writing “apprise” when you mean judging value.

• Wrong: “The bank apprised my house.”
• Right: “The bank appraised my house.”

Mistake 2: Writing “appraise” when you mean informing.

• Wrong: “Please appraise me of the news.”
• Right: “Please apprise me of the news.”

Mistake 3: Forgetting the double P in “appraise.” It is A-P-P-R-A-I-S-E — never “apraise.” The double P is the clue that it is about price!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is “appraise” only about money? Mostly, yes — it means judging value, usually price. It can also mean judging a situation, as in “appraise the risk.”

What is a noun form of “apprise”? There is no common noun. Just use the verb: “He apprised me” (he informed me).

Are they pronounced the same? Almost! “Appraise” rhymes with “praise,” and “apprise” rhymes with “surprise.” Same stress, different vowel sound in the middle.

Mini Quiz: Test Yourself

Choose the best answer for each question.

• 1. The expert ______ the diamond’s worth.
• 2. Please ______ me of any updates.
• 3. Which word means “to inform”?
• 4. True or false: “They apprised the house at $300,000” is correct.
• 5. Which word has a double P?

Answers: 1. appraised 2. apprise 3. apprise 4. False — it is “appraised the house” 5. appraise

Quick Recap

• Appraise = judge the value or price (double P = price).
• Apprise = inform or tell someone (news).
• Trick: you appraise a price, you apprise a person.
• Spelling clue: double P only in “appraise.”

Conclusion

So, appraise vs apprise: appraise the value, apprise the person. Remember the double P for price, and you will never mix them up again!