to appeal vs to like
When 'to appeal' is used in the meaning of 'to like', is it exactly the same to say one or the other, or is there a different shade of meaning (nuance)?
For instance:
opera doesn't appeal to him - he does't like opera.
His proposal appeals to me - I like his proposal.

Question

to appeal vs to like
When 'to appeal' is used in the meaning of 'to like', is it exactly the same to say one or the other, or is there a different shade of meaning (nuance)?
For instance:
opera doesn't appeal to him  -  he does't like opera.
His proposal appeals to me  -  I like his proposal.

Answer

Hi Giulio,

The meanings are the same, but the emphasis of the sentence shifts slightly.

With "opera doesn't appeal to him" , the emphasis is on "opera". The implication is that there is either something wrong with opera or that opera is somehow responsible for the fact that he doesn't like it. It's kind of like stating a fact about the world, something that you have no control over. It shifts the blame onto opera.

With "he does't like opera", the emphasis is on "he". The implication is that this is HIS personal taste. It's not opera's fault, it's his.

You can use "appeal" to try to be polite and shift blame off of yourself in a delicate situation. For example, "Your suggestion doesn't appeal to me" a little bit less offensive than "I don't like your suggestion."

Answers · 2

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