appropriate

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

|Updated on: 21 Aug 2018

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Examples: appropriate in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

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
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

That program helped more than 175 homeowners transform their landscapes into climate-appropriate mini-watersheds that not only save water, but achieve additional benefits such as reducing storm water runoff and lessening green waste.

— Pomerado News, "Water agencies increase incentives to replace turf," 13 July 2018
There are some situations when flowers are not appropriate, however.

— Southern Living, "Manners in Times of Sorrow: Your Questions Answered," 12 July 2018
The Historical Society of Glastonbury will also be attending this year's event, and will be bringing age-appropriate historical toys, including stilts, barrel rings, and other items kids played with approximately a century ago.

— steve smith, Courant Community, "Kidding Around The Center Set For July 17," 10 July 2018
But the way that it is covered has been a little bigoted in certain cases and activists which is not appropriate for journalists.

— Fox News, "Media's Supreme Court scrutiny," 9 July 2018
The church-appropriate pieces were also more polished than her casual day-to-day looks.

— marina liao, Marie Claire, "Pippa Middleton Wears Blue for Prince Louis' Christening," 9 July 2018
Indeed, if agility is really the characteristic of business success, then perhaps the very structure of a public corporation is not the most appropriate one.

— The Economist, "The fashion for agile management is spreading," 5 July 2018
Hinson said the city had told Episcopal the day before that the man was not appropriate for a shelter and needed to be in a nursing home.

— stacey burling, Philly.com, "Shelters, hospitals 'playing ping pong' with Philadelphia's homeless, sick population," 28 June 2018
When complaints were raised to HR or SVCF leaders, the systems put in place frequently failed to sufficiently address inappropriate conduct and ensure that appropriate remedial action was taken.

— kathleen pender, SFChronicle.com, "Emmett Carson ousted as CEO of Silicon Valley Community Foundation," 27 June 2018

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

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

appropriate Synonyms

Phrases

in order;

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

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
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

Instead of losing participatory consciousness, fans remade it, appropriating what could have been taken from them to do so.

— nancy baym, WIRED, "Book Excerpt: How Music Fans Built the Internet," 10 July 2018
This is distinct from the debate over ObamaCare’s cost-sharing payments, which the Trump Administration cut off last year after a federal judge barred the subsidies that Congress had not appropriated.

— the editorial board, WSJ, "The Health Insurers Squawk," 10 July 2018
Batum has already endorsed that idea on Twitter: Friday, Batum praised Monk for his 23-point summer-league performance, and a fan suggested in reply that Monk will be appropriating Batum’s minutes.

— rick bonnell, charlotteobserver, "Why Charlotte Hornets' roster 'clutter' could be bad news for Michael Kidd-Gilchrist," 7 July 2018
Proposal included in the state budget signed last week by Gov. Jerry Brown with $60 million appropriated this year.

— angela hart, sacbee, "Here are the 16 health care bills proposed after California shelved single-payer," 6 July 2018
Until a few decades ago, scientists believed humans were the only species that appropriated stones into tools.

— bradford betz, Fox News, "Panama monkeys may have begun their own Stone Age, scientists say," 4 July 2018
Last year’s decision to add Hebron as a Palestinian heritage site outraged Israelis, who said Jewish national symbols were being appropriated.

— elaine ganley, The Seattle Times, "Israeli envoy wants to rethink withdrawal from UN agency," 26 June 2018
There’s real beauty in our culture when it’s not appropriated.

— lindsay schallon, Glamour, "This Is What the Beauty of Cultural Appreciation Looks Like," 13 June 2018
The rule also allows for the authors of the bills to change them, and the members expected all of the proposals would evolve before a floor vote -- especially to include language that would appropriate billions for border security.

— tal kopan, CNN, "Republicans seek enough signatures to force DACA vote in House," 9 May 2018