What does apprised mean?
"Apprised" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "apprise," meaning to inform or notify someone of something, usually in a formal or official manner. To say that a person was apprised of a development is to state that they were made aware of it — often deliberately and thoroughly, as when a board is apprised of financial risks or a client is kept apprised of legal proceedings. The word carries a distinctly formal tone, which is why it appears most often in business correspondence, legal documents, journalism, and diplomatic language rather than casual conversation. It is frequently used in the passive construction "was apprised of" and in the fixed phrase "keep someone apprised," which signals an ongoing duty to share updates. A perennial pitfall is confusion with "appraised," which refers to assessing value rather than conveying information. The word derives ultimately from the Latin verb prehendere, "to grasp or seize," the same root that gives us "apprehend" and "comprehend."
verbPast tense and past participle of "apprise": to inform or notify someone of something, typically formally or officially.
- To inform or notify someone formally of a fact or situation: 'She was apprised of the changes.'
"The committee was fully apprised of the risks before voting."
"The board was kept apprised of developments throughout the negotiation."
"He thanked his lawyer for keeping him apprised at every stage of the case."
One letter separates "apprised" (told) from "appraised" (valued) — a mix-up that has quietly embarrassed writers for centuries.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of apprised
"Apprise" entered English in the late 17th century from the French verb apprendre, meaning "to learn" or "to teach," which descends from the Latin apprehendere, "to grasp or lay hold of." This same Latin root produced English words such as "apprehend" and "comprehend," making them distant relatives of "apprise." The sense narrowed from general learning to the specific act of giving someone information.
Related word forms
How apprised is actually used
Formal register; common in business, legal, and official writing. Almost always used in the passive or as part of the phrase "keep someone apprised," and nearly always followed by "of."
Easily confused with apprised
"Appraised" means to assess the value or quality of something, while "apprised" means to have been informed or notified of something.