appreciative smiles

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "appreciative smiles" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe smiles that express gratitude or recognition of something positive. Example: "After the performance, the audience exchanged appreciative smiles, acknowledging the talent of the performers."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

General impatience gave way to appreciative smiles.

The New York Times

A few minutes later, I returned with two cups of coffee – and their appreciative smiles.

The New York Times

This consistently funny, intriguing and intellectually engaging picture goes for chuckles and appreciative smiles rather than belly laughs, and up until the final moments it appeals to the mind rather than the heart.

The Guardian - Film

It happens all the time: There you are at a cocktail party holding forth, eliciting appreciative smiles and nods.

Huffington Post

But the embarrassment is more than made up for by the appreciative smiles of encouragement you'll invariably get from locals for even making the attempt to speak their language.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

A coonass being a Cajun, I threw him an appreciative smile.

The New Yorker

"It's funny, racing is such a beautiful sport," Zito said with an appreciative smile.

The New York Times - Sports

Mr. Cage gives the iguanas a small, appreciative smile, eyeballing the animals who continue to eyeball the camera as the image begins to jump and shake.

The New York Times

"He's a naughty boy," Marya likes to say of Orel with an appreciative smile when he gets a little wild.

The New York Times

(Look how he swallows a Scotch to numb the hurt, and then try to imagine the Roger Moore equivalent — the pensive sip, the appreciative smile at the distiller's art).

The New Yorker

When the outfit was described to Andre Agassi, who crushed Max Mirnyi in 54 minutes, 6-2, 6-2, to advance to the men's fourth round, he leaned back with an appreciative smile.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "appreciative smiles" to specifically describe smiles that convey gratitude, recognition, or acknowledgment of something positive. It suggests a deeper level of understanding and thankfulness.

Common error

Avoid using "appreciative smiles" when the situation calls for a stronger expression of joy or amusement like laughter. Ensure the context involves a genuine sense of gratitude or acknowledgment, not just general happiness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "appreciative smiles" functions as a descriptor, where the adjective "appreciative" modifies the noun "smiles". It indicates the kind of emotion being conveyed through the act of smiling, highlighting gratitude or recognition. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "appreciative smiles" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe smiles that convey gratitude or acknowledgment. While Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, its usage is relatively rare, primarily appearing in news and media contexts. Alternative phrases like "grateful smiles" or "thankful smiles" can be used to express similar sentiments. When using this phrase, ensure the context genuinely involves a sense of gratitude or recognition, avoiding its misuse in situations requiring stronger expressions of emotion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

grateful smiles

Replaces "appreciative" with "grateful", emphasizing the feeling of thankfulness.

thankful smiles

Similar to "grateful smiles", highlighting the feeling of being thankful.

pleased expressions

Focuses on the outward expression of pleasure rather than the inward feeling of appreciation.

warm smiles

Emphasizes the friendliness and sincerity of the smiles.

kind smiles

Highlights the kindness conveyed through the smiles.

approving smiles

Indicates that the smiles express approval or agreement.

contented smiles

Conveys a sense of satisfaction and contentment reflected in the smiles.

accepting smiles

Suggests that the smiles show acceptance or understanding.

positive acknowledgments

A more formal way of describing a positive reaction, moving away from the specific action of smiling.

favorable expressions

Similar to "pleased expressions", but more formal and general.

FAQs

What does "appreciative smiles" mean?

"Appreciative smiles" are smiles that express gratitude or acknowledgment of something positive, thoughtful, or kind.

What can I say instead of "appreciative smiles"?

You can use alternatives like "grateful smiles", "thankful smiles", or "pleased expressions" depending on the context.

Is "appreciative smiles" formal or informal?

"Appreciative smiles" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts where you want to express gratitude or acknowledgement in a subtle yet meaningful way.

How to use "appreciative smiles" in a sentence?

You might say, "After the performance, the audience exchanged "appreciative smiles", acknowledging the talent of the performers" or "I returned with two cups of coffee – and their "appreciative smiles" made my day better."