appropriate

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adjective ap·pro·pri·ate \ ə-ˈprō-prē-ət \

Updated on: 11 Sep 2017

Definition of appropriate

:especially suitable or compatible :fitting

an appropriate response

remarks appropriate to the occasion

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appropriately

adverb

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appropriateness

noun

See appropriate defined for English-language learners

Examples of appropriate in a Sentence

More than almost anyone writing today, Slater, whose prose is astringent and sensuous by turn, reflects both a genuine feeling for and appreciation of foods appropriate to the season—and a tolerance for kitchen disasters. —Cynthia Zarin, Gourmet, April 2007
Crepuscular means "pertaining to twilight." It sounds so lovely. I use the word as much as possible, even when it's not appropriate. —Bob Berman, Astronomy, June 2006
While working as one of the exhibition curators, I was surprised to learn that, until the 1920s, ice cream was properly eaten with a fork, a cumbersome technique decried by none other than Florence Howe hall, the granddaughter of Julia Ward Howe, who wrote "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". But if high society eventually agreed on a more appropriate utensil for eating the frozen-dessert, even the most au courant hostess may have had trouble deciding what kind of device should be used for serving it … —Darra Goldstein, Saveur, June-July 2006
Three days. There was no way on this earth that proper due diligence could be done in such a limited time. For a merger of this magnitude, a week's worth of due diligence would have been more appropriate. —Nina Munk, Vanity Fair, January 2004
The town has appropriated funds to repair the bridge and work should begin this summer.
The economy has been weakened by corrupt officials who have appropriated the country's resources for their own use.
Elements of the design were appropriated from other architects.
The term “bad” has been appropriated by teenagers as a synonym for “good.”

Recent Examples of appropriate from the Web

That might not be appropriate for some people, and there’s a time and a place.

— colleen kratofil, PEOPLE.com, "Kim Kardashian Channels Cher: 'I Don't Think for a Second That [as] a Mom You Can't Be Sexy Anymore'," 30 Aug. 2017
The Star will post appropriate responses online in the same online locations as the original report.

— joyce smith, kansascity, "Kansas and Kansas City restaurant inspections for Aug. 28," 28 Aug. 2017
That certainly seems appropriate for a place that's always changing, always transforming.

— paul newberry, The Christian Science Monitor, "Don't call it a comeback: Georgia State's new stadium comes with old Olympic history," 28 Aug. 2017
Four researchers are leading the hunt for appropriate bird and mammal specimens, a challenging task since these animals are typically mounted as dry taxidermy.

— ryan cross, Science | AAAS, "New 3D scanning campaign will reveal 20,000 animals in stunning detail," 24 Aug. 2017
Other glasses distributed at the UWM Planetarium that have the NASA logo have the appropriate and necessary certifications.

— mckenna oxenden, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee says distributed solar eclipse glasses are unsafe," 17 Aug. 2017
The typeface is also a bit cleaner, more 2017 appropriate.

— hayden dingman, PCWorld, "Blizzard's keeping the Battle.net name after all," 15 Aug. 2017
His falling support does not necessarily put his job in immediate danger, though a recent poll indicated that voters no longer see him as the most appropriate person to lead the government.

— isabel reynolds, Bloomberg.com, "Japan's Kishida Set to Leave Cabinet Amid Leadership Chatter," 2 Aug. 2017
Analysts said Ms. Murata’s resignation also seemed appropriate after the Democratic Party performed so poorly in the Tokyo election, taking just five of 127 seats.

— motoko rich, New York Times, "Resignations in Japan Set Back Hopes for Women in Political Power," 28 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'appropriate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

From its roots, the verb appropriate would mean basically "make one's own"—that is, "take", or sometimes "grab". Each year the President and Congress create a budget and appropriate funds for each item in it, funds which mostly come in the form of taxes from the public. In the House of Representatives, the powerful Appropriations Committee often gets the last word on how much money goes to each program. "Misappropriation of funds", on the other hand, is a nice way of saying "theft". If someone appropriated pieces of your novel, you might take him or her to court; and if you appropriated trade secrets from your former employers, you might be the one sued.

Origin and Etymology of appropriate

see ²appropriate

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

appropriate Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of appropriate

fit, suitable, meet, proper, appropriate, fitting, apt, happy, felicitous mean right with respect to some end, need, use, or circumstance. fit stresses adaptability and sometimes special readiness for use or action.

- fit for battle

suitable implies an answering to requirements or demands.

- clothes suitable for camping

meet suggests a just proportioning.

- meet payment

proper suggests a suitability through essential nature or accordance with custom.

- proper acknowledgement

appropriate implies eminent or distinctive fitness.

- an appropriate gift

fitting implies harmony of mood or tone.

- a fitting end

apt connotes a fitness marked by nicety and discrimination.

- apt quotations

happy suggests what is effectively or successfully appropriate.

- a happy choice of words

felicitous suggests an aptness that is opportune, telling, or graceful.

- a felicitous phrase

appropriate

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verb ap·pro·pri·ate \ ə-ˈprō-prē-ˌāt \

Definition of appropriate

appropriated; appropriating

transitive verb

1 :to take exclusive possession of :annex

No one should appropriate a common benefit.

2 :to set apart for or assign to a particular purpose or use

appropriate money for a research program

3 :to take or make use of without authority or right

natural habitats that have been appropriated for human use

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appropriable

play \-prē-ə-bəl\ adjective

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appropriator

play \-prē-ˌā-tər\ noun

See appropriate defined for English-language learners

See appropriate defined for kids

Examples of appropriate in a Sentence

From this source it was appropriated by Wilhelm Ropke in his effort to develop a social and political theory in which the market economy would be reconciled with the local community. —Roger Scruton, National Review, 20 June 2005
Dr. Seuss's mother, also the daughter of German immigrants, was Henrietta Seuss, and when he appropriated the name for his books Dr. Seuss pronounced it in the German manner, "soice," until he realized that Americans naturally read the name as "soose," and that the American pronunciation of "Dr. Seuss" evoked a figure advantageous for an author of children's books to be associated with—Mother Goose. —Louis Menand, New Yorker, 23 & 30 Dec. 2002
Wales, in contrast, was officially appropriated into the United Kingdom by Henry VIII's Acts of Union, in 1536 and 1543, before it had developed the apparatus of a modern state. —Pamela Petro, Atlantic, April 1999
Red wine would have been a more appropriate choice with the meal.
The movie is perfectly appropriate to people of all ages.

Recent Examples of appropriate from the Web

About $35 million of that cost will be covered by state funds appropriated during the legislative session earlier this year.

— meredith colias, Post-Tribune, "Purdue Northwest connects students to majors and clubs at welcome rally," 24 Aug. 2017
That will free up $325 million in federal funds that have already been appropriated, and clear the path for a total federal investment of $900 million over the life of the agreement.

— robert mccartney, Washington Post, "Maryland to get full federal funding agreement for Purple Line," 21 Aug. 2017
This is the third year for the event where students will receive a backpack filled with school supplies appropriate to their grade levels and be able to get immunizations, dental and vision screenings, and haircuts.

— faye reeder, star-telegram, "Most Amazing Race participants will run, climb, and eat to benefit The Salvation Army," 7 Aug. 2017
Because the dollars for the policies and programs were separately appropriated there, the money wasn’t affected by Scott’s veto.

— kristen m. clark, miamiherald, "Gov. Scott tells universities: Spend your millions ‘judiciously’," 21 July 2017
Cubs-themed Hawaiian shirts were big, and appropriated grass skirts rustled above the space normally commanded by third base.

— rebecca aydin, chicagotribune.com, "Parrotheads converge on Wrigley for Buffett love," 16 July 2017
Poynter acknowledged that Bochetto had recently drawn down $50,000 that the city had appropriated specifically for building repairs at the gift shop.

— sheldon s. shafer, The Courier-Journal, "City weighing options to help Ali boyhood home site," 13 July 2017
After the culture wars of Western politics went online and were appropriated by Millennials, something strange happened.

— michael brendan dougherty, National Review, "The Kids Are Alt-Right," 11 July 2017
Occupational therapy, which guides children to appropriate behaviors by managing these sensory issues, is essential, Hoff said.

— bradley j. fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Autism still gets dismissed by some doctors, family learns in yearlong challenge," 4 July 2017

Origin and Etymology of appropriate

Middle English, from Late Latin appropriatus, past participle of appropriare, from Latin ad- + proprius own

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

appropriate Synonyms

Synonyms

arrogate, commandeer, convert, expropriate, pirate, preempt, press, seize, take over, usurp

Related Words

annex, attach, claim, confiscate, impound, repossess, sequester; assume, collar, grab, grasp, snatch, steal, wrench, wrest; despoil, loot, pillage; encroach, infringe, invade, occupy, preoccupy, trespass; embezzle, misapply, misappropriate, misuse, peculate

Near Antonyms

buy, purchase; bestow, contribute, donate, give, hand over, present

APPROPRIATE Defined for English Language Learners

appropriate

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verb

Definition of appropriate for English Language Learners

: to get or save (money) for a specific use or purpose
: to take or use (something) especially in a way that is illegal, unfair, etc.

appropriate

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adjective

Definition of appropriate for English Language Learners

: right or suited for some purpose or situation

APPROPRIATE Defined for Kids

appropriate

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adjective ap·pro·pri·ate \ ə-ˈprō-prē-ət \

Definition of appropriate for Students

:especially fitting or suitable

The movie is appropriate for small children.

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appropriately

adverb

We dressed appropriately for the occasion.

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appropriateness

noun

appropriate

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verb ap·pro·pri·ate \ ə-ˈprō-prē-ˌāt \

Definition of appropriate for Students

appropriated; appropriating

1 :to take possession of especially in an illegal or unfair way

2 :to set apart for a certain purpose or use

The school appropriated funds for new books.

Law Dictionary

appropriate

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transitive verb ap·pro·pri·ate \ ə-ˈprō-prē-ˌāt \

legal Definition of appropriate

appropriated; appropriating

1 :to set apart for or assign to a particular recipient, purpose, or use

the legislature appropriating funds for the program

2 :to take or make use of without authority or right

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appropriation

play \ə-ˌprō-prē-ˈā-shən\ noun

Origin and Etymology of appropriate

Late Latin appropriare to take possession of, from ad to, for + proprius one's own

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From the M-W Editors

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Origin and Etymology of appropriate

appropriate Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

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Near Antonyms

Synonym Discussion of appropriate

appropriate

Definition of appropriate

appropriable

appropriator

Examples of appropriate in a Sentence

Recent Examples of appropriate from the Web

Origin and Etymology of appropriate

appropriate Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

APPROPRIATE Defined for English Language Learners

appropriate

Definition of appropriate for English Language Learners

appropriate

Definition of appropriate for English Language Learners

APPROPRIATE Defined for Kids

appropriate

Definition of appropriate for Students

appropriately

appropriateness

appropriate

Definition of appropriate for Students

Law Dictionary

appropriate

legal Definition of appropriate

appropriation

Origin and Etymology of appropriate

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