appeal
B2 (High Frequency)Formal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
A formal or urgent request for a decision, action, or help; the power to attract or be interesting.
A legal process where a higher court reviews a lower court's decision; a quality that makes someone or something attractive or interesting; an attempt to persuade or gain support.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word bridges concrete, procedural domains (law) and abstract, psychological ones (attraction). As a noun, the countability depends on context: 'He filed an appeal' (countable) vs 'The idea holds great appeal' (uncountable).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal differences in core meaning. In legal contexts, the procedural steps of 'lodging an appeal' (UK) vs. 'filing an appeal' (US) are phrased differently. The phrase 'appeal against' a decision is more common in UK English, while US English often uses 'appeal' transitively (e.g., appeal the decision).
Connotations
Consistently positive when referring to attraction/desirability. In legal/political contexts, it can be neutral or carry connotations of seeking fairness or overturning an injustice.
Frequency
Similar high frequency in both varieties, with slightly higher frequency in US legal and media discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
appeal to sb (for sth)appeal (to sb) (against sth)appeal a decision/verdict/rulingsth appeals to sbVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “appeal to the gallery”
- “a court of last appeal”
- “lose its appeal”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Marketing focuses on the product's appeal to target demographics. 'We need to broaden the brand's appeal.'
Academic
Used in law, philosophy (e.g., appeal to emotion fallacy), and social sciences discussing cultural phenomena. 'The study examines the populist appeal of the movement.'
Everyday
Discussing likes/dislikes or making requests. 'The seaside town has a lot of appeal for retirees.' 'She made a direct appeal for donations.'
Technical
Primarily in legal terminology, describing the appellate process. 'The defendant's grounds for appeal were insufficient.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- His appeal for clemency was rejected.
- The film's nostalgic appeal is undeniable.
- The case went to the Court of Appeal.
American English
- Her appeal to the Supreme Court was a last resort.
- The candidate's main appeal is his authenticity.
- The judge denied their appeal for a retrial.
verb
British English
- They plan to appeal against the planning permission refusal.
- The charity is appealing for emergency funds.
- Does the minimalist design appeal to you?
American English
- The defense attorney will appeal the verdict immediately.
- The governor appealed to the public for calm.
- A quiet holiday appeals to me more than a city break.
adverb
British English
- N/A for standard usage.
American English
- N/A for standard usage.
adjective
British English
- N/A for standard usage. 'Appealing' is the adjective.
American English
- N/A for standard usage. 'Appealing' is the adjective.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The idea of a picnic appeals to me.
- He lost his appeal to the headteacher.
- The company launched an appeal to raise money for the local hospital.
- This type of music has a broad appeal across all ages.
- After the conviction, her lawyer immediately lodged an appeal.
- The product's main selling point is its universal appeal and simplicity.
- The defence's appeal was predicated on a procedural technicality that had been overlooked.
- Despite its superficial appeal, the policy's long-term implications were deeply flawed.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a PEAL of bells: they ATTRACT attention, just like something with APPEAL. Or, you APPEAL to a higher court to PEEL back the lower court's decision.
Conceptual Metaphor
ATTRACTION IS A MAGNETIC FORCE ('The idea appealed to him powerfully'), JUSTICE/FAIRNESS IS A HIGHER PLACE ('taking the appeal to a higher court').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'appeal' as 'апелляция' in non-legal contexts. For 'attractiveness', use 'привлекательность', 'очарование'.
- The verb 'to appeal' does not mean 'to appear'. 'He appealed to the court' is not 'Он появился в суде'.
- The construction 'appeal to someone' (to like) is often misconstructed. 'This music appeals to me' = 'Эта музыка мне нравится'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He appealed against the court.' (Correct: '...against the decision/ruling.')
- Incorrect: 'The job has a big appeal.' (Correct: '...great/wide/mass appeal.')
- Incorrect use of preposition: 'appeal for someone' (for attraction) instead of 'appeal to someone'.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'appeal' used to mean 'attractiveness'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be both. In legal contexts, it is highly formal. When meaning 'attractiveness' ('The show has wide appeal'), it is neutral and common in everyday language.
'Appeal' is primarily a noun or verb. 'Appealing' is the related adjective meaning 'attractive' or 'pleasing' (an appealing offer). You cannot say 'an appeal offer' to mean the same thing.
Yes. You 'appeal to' a person or authority (appeal to the manager) or 'appeal to' someone's sense of justice. You 'appeal against' a decision or ruling (appeal against the sentence). In US English, 'appeal' is often used transitively (appeal the sentence).
It is the name for a specific senior court in the UK legal system that hears appeals from lower courts. In the US, similar courts are often called 'Courts of Appeals' or 'Appellate Courts'.
Collections
Part of a collection
Crime and Justice
B1 · 46 words · Vocabulary for law, crime and the justice system.
Law and Regulation
C1 · 46 words · Legal language and regulatory frameworks.
Rhetoric and Argumentation
C2 · 49 words · Advanced tools of persuasion and argumentation.