What does reappraisal mean?
Reappraisal means assessing or evaluating something again, usually because circumstances, evidence, or perspectives have changed. The word can describe either the act of renewed evaluation or the revised judgment that results from it. It is especially common in analytical and institutional contexts, such as legal reviews, historical reassessments, financial analyses, and evaluations of artistic or scientific work. Unlike the more general reassessment, reappraisal retains the idea of appraising: making a fresh judgment about the value, significance, or implications of something. Although it may indicate an honest openness to revision, the term often carries a slightly formal tone and can suggest careful examination. For example, a historian's reappraisal of a controversial leader may reveal new evidence while also reconsidering previous interpretations. In everyday conversation, people might simply say that they have reconsidered an opinion, but reappraisal is a useful word when the emphasis is on a structured second evaluation.
nounThe act of appraising or assessing something again, especially in order to reach a revised or updated judgment. It can also refer to the revised assessment itself.
- The act of appraising something again, or the revised assessment resulting from doing so.
"The new evidence prompted a careful reappraisal of the witness's testimony."
"The court ordered an independent reappraisal of the sentencing decision."
"Her reappraisal of the early career led her to appreciate the artist's importance."
The standard plural is used for separate renewed assessments or reviews.
"The report proposes annual reappraisals of the program's effectiveness."
Sometimes the evidence has not changed; what has changed is our reappraisal of it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does reappraisal come from?
Reappraisal combines the prefix re-, meaning “again,” with appraisal, a word formed from appraise plus the suffix -al. Appraise entered English in the early modern period from French and ultimately derives from Latin appretiare, meaning “to set a price to.” The prefix and its Latin relatives are linked to the language of pricing, valuation, and appreciation.
Related word forms
How reappraisal is actually used
The word is formal and neutral, but it often suggests a deliberate, rigorous reconsideration rather than a casual change of opinion.
Easily confused with reappraisal
A reappraisal specifically means appraising or evaluating something again, whereas a reassessment more broadly denotes a revised consideration or judgment.