Appears is a verb meaning to seem or to become visible. It denotes perception or emergence, often used when something looks or seems a certain way, or when something becomes visible to the eye. In grammar, it can function as a linking verb similar to 'seems' and appears in phrases like 'it appears that…' or 'she appears calm'.
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"It appears that the plan will work after all."
"A figure appeared in the doorway as the lights came on."
"The town appears quieter in the early morning."
"She appears ready for the challenge, despite the difficulty."
Appears traces to Old French apareoir, from Late Latin appārēre, meaning to come into sight or to become evident. The Latin root ap- (toward) plus parēre (to appear, to be evident) evolved through Old French appearing as aparoir or apparaistre, then Anglo-Norman and Middle English shifts produced apper, aparen, and eventually appears in Middle English as appears with the third-person singular -s ending. The shift of -oir spellings to -airs or -aer- variants is common in French-derived English verbs of display or emergence. The semantic core—visibility or seemingness—solidified in Early Modern English and persists into contemporary usage, with the sense connected to perception as well as appearance. First known uses appear in Middle English texts, with recordings in glossaries and translations of French legal and literary works. Over time, semantic scope broadened to include metaphorical “apparentness” (it appears that…) rather than only literal visibility, paralleling verbs like seem and look. The word’s morphology remained stable, retaining the base appear with -s for third-person singular present tense, so you’ll encounter “appears” in everyday speech and writing across varieties of English.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "appears" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "appears"
-aps sounds
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Pronounce as ə-PIHRZ (US) or ə-PIƏZ (UK/AU). The primary stress is on the second syllable: /əˈpɪrz/ in US and /əˈpɪəz/ in UK/AU. Start with a neutral schwa in the first syllable, then a clear rhotic or non-rhotic vowel in the second, ending with a voiced z. Mouth positions: lips relaxed, tongue mid-high for the /ɪ/; for the final /r/ or /ə/ sound, let the tongue curl slightly (US) or stay relaxed (UK/AU). If your pace is quick, reduce the second vowel slightly to a quick /ɪ/ or schwa before the /z/. Audio reference tip: listen for the light, voiced sibilant at the end and the subtle vowel height shift between rhotic and non-rhotic accents.
Two frequent errors: 1) Dropping the final z to an s sound (appears pronounced as /ˈæpɪrz/ instead of /əˈpɪərz/). Correction: keep the final voiced /z/ and avoid devoicing; ensure the voicing continues through the end. 2) Misplacing stress or making it all on the first syllable (/ˈæpɪrz/). Correction: stress the second syllable: /əˈpɪrz/ (US) or /əˈpɪəz/ (UK/AU). Practice by saying ‘a-PEERS’ with a light, quick second syllable and a voiced end. Also avoid heavy vowel changes that convert /ɪ/ to a full /iɪ/ or /iː/; keep the short, lax /ɪ/ sound.
US tends to preserve a clear /ɪ/ in the second syllable with a rhotic ending in some contexts: /əˈpɪrz/. UK/AU typically deliver a non-rhotic vowel after the schwa, resulting in /əˈpɪəz/ (the 'r' is not pronounced). The ending /z/ remains voiced, but may be flapped or softened in rapid speech. Australian English often sits between US and UK, with a less pronounced rhoticity and a slightly broader vowel in the second syllable /əˈpɪəz/. In careful speech, listen for final z voicing; in fast speech, expect syllable reduction and shortening of the second vowel.
The difficulty centers on the contrast between the schwa-led first syllable and the tense, quick second syllable with a voiced final /z/. The /p/ release timing and the onset of the /ɪ/ or /ɪə/ diphthong can feel abrupt, especially when rushing speech. Native listeners expect a fluent secondary stress and a smooth transition into the final /z/. Practicing precise vowel height in the second syllable and keeping voicing through the end helps prevent a clipped or misvoiced ending.
What makes the pronunciation of 'appears' unique is how its second syllable houses a short, clipped vowel before the voiced sibilant. Unlike plain verbs with a long vowel, 'appears' requires a tight vowel and a voiced, continously active final consonant. You’ll hear a subtle compliance in mouth shape: a lowered jaw for the schwa onset, a quick move to a lax /ɪ/ or /ɪə/ before the /z/. Keep the transition brief and the final /z/ audible to avoid a fricative mix-up (mistaking /z/ for /s/ or /ɹ/).
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