1
2
as in to devote
to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention
Sam applied himself to writing thank-you letters to everyone who'd helped sponsor him for the charity walk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to spread
to put a layer of on a surface
apply the ointment liberally
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to use
to put into action or service
apply the laws of motion to this physics problem
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
6
as in to enforce
to carry out effectively
a police officer applying the law
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of apply
One of the biggest downsides of the card is that the 1X rate applies to general travel purchases, while many other premium cards pay elevated rates for all types of travel.
—
David McMillin, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
Just be sure to apply deterrents regularly, as many are washed away by rain and melting snow and don’t last long.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2025
The new $100,000 fee applies only to new H-1B visa applicants and not to those renewing their visas or current visa-holders.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions.
—Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for apply
David McMillin, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
Just be sure to apply deterrents regularly, as many are washed away by rain and melting snow and don’t last long.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2025
The new $100,000 fee applies only to new H-1B visa applicants and not to those renewing their visas or current visa-holders.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions.
—Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for apply
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apply
Verb
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Hanke relates that it was riddled with loopholes that handed the Banco Central de la República Argentina discretionary monetary powers.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
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This is interesting because the two teams feature several players who are related, a fact that does not come up very often.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Newspapers, both local and national, devoted not just reviews but columns and opinion pieces to Stein and Tender Buttons.—
Via Scribner,
Literary Hub,
7 Oct. 2025
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By the mid-nineteen-sixties, Africa had been transformed from a patchwork of colonies to one of mostly independent countries, each devoted, at least in theory, to self-determination.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Controlling a fire means ensuring that the fire can't spread or cross the containment line.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
11 Oct. 2025
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These swells are expected to spread toward the Turks and Caicos Islands and Bahamas tonight and on Saturday.—
MIAMI HERALD HURRICANE BOT,
Miami Herald,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Little kids will enjoy its pre-programmed songs and dances, while older kids can use a smart app to program new movement patterns and routines.—
Anja Webb,
Parents,
7 Oct. 2025
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Participants will learn the differences between dabbling and diving ducks, their unique characteristics and how to use eBird to find local waterfowl viewing hot spots.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Not the first time There is also concern over the extent of influence the Trust seeks to exert over Tata Sons’ capital allocation decisions, according to Dalal.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
10 Oct. 2025
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The United States has also known about the issue for some time, with negotiators in the Biden administration aware that some hostages were held by factions in Gaza over which Hamas does not exert full control.—
Ami Kaufman,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Juneteenth recognizes the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation, which President Abraham Lincoln had signed more than two years earlier.—
Ciara McCarthy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Oct. 2025
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After dissolving their own three-person police force, the village has struggled to find a way to enforce village laws, the mayor said.—
Erin Glynn,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Chatbots are known to validate users’ obsessions and delusions, and most of the litigation around this phenomenon has so far pertained to self-harm, as in the suits Jain has brought against OpenAI and Character Technologies.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
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People from across all walks of life are asked around 50 questions pertaining to the economy, personal finances, job prospects, inflation expectations and the like.—
Joanne Hsu,
The Conversation,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At AbbVie, 92% of employees give extra effort at work compared to just 59% of employees at a typical European workplace.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
9 Oct. 2025
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Processing extras’ job bookings has helped give Everyset a window in to where work is now, as Hollywood grapples with major studios cutting the number of annual big theatrical bets and shortening TV episode orders from the Peak TV days of just a few years ago.—
Erik Hayden,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Apply.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apply. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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