1
as in relates
to have a relation or connection
does your rule about calling home apply to me as well?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in devotes
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 spreads
to put a layer of on a surface
apply the ointment liberally
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in uses
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 enforces
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 applies
The automatic discount also applies to all purchases made on the Free People app—no minimum purchase required.
—
Hannah Chubb, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
Even once the standard is set, the 2027 deadline applies to creating the rule, not putting the technology in cars right away.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Apr. 2026
The partnership applies to media such as static image music videos.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026
The saying also applies to clients.
—Domenic Rom, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026
That same principle applies throughout the school day.
—Krista Spurgin, Denver Post, 29 Apr. 2026
The same idea applies to digging up bulbs.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2026
Based on the potential of positive and negative messaging, Nguyen offers good advice that applies broadly to social media use.
—Greg Mellen, Oc Register, 29 Apr. 2026
The same incentive structure applies here.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Hannah Chubb, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
Even once the standard is set, the 2027 deadline applies to creating the rule, not putting the technology in cars right away.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Apr. 2026
The partnership applies to media such as static image music videos.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026
The saying also applies to clients.
—Domenic Rom, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026
That same principle applies throughout the school day.
—Krista Spurgin, Denver Post, 29 Apr. 2026
The same idea applies to digging up bulbs.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2026
Based on the potential of positive and negative messaging, Nguyen offers good advice that applies broadly to social media use.
—Greg Mellen, Oc Register, 29 Apr. 2026
The same incentive structure applies here.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for applies
Verb
-
Bastian relates that Delta collected $9 billion, more than four times the number in 2014, and though Amex doesn’t break out its revenues from the co-brand, the Delta experience suggests it’s scored a moonshot.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
-
Author Daniel Kraus won in the fiction category for his book Angel Down, a story of World War I soldiers who find a fallen angel amongst the dead in No Man's Land - a tale Kraus relates entirely within one sentence.—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Illinois devotes significant resources to recruiting overseas to bring in their large international contingent — including Croatian twin centers Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivišić and freshman forward David Mirković.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
McGrath devotes a whole chapter to lunch.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Success spreads Successful small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
-
Once the disease spreads to other areas of the body, however, treatment becomes much more difficult, and the five-year survival rate dips to roughly 16 percent.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
For Love in the Time of Cholera, 1989, for instance, Pau uses early Picture-in-Picture (PiP) technology to frame clips from Zuni’s 1988 October/Decameron stage performance, which then float, rotate, and cascade across the screen.—
Pauline J. Yao,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
Upstairs, in the bubble gum-pink Powder Room, Shahniani keeps his drag costumes, made by his favorite dressmaker, Kelsey Swarthout, who uses upcycled Disney sheets in her designs.—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
The governor exerts much control over education priorities through the state budget.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
Censure by the committee also exerts considerable moral pressure to resign.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In other words, the market enforces its own quality control.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The platform that routes content to the right provider, enforces terminology, tracks usage, maintains audit trails, and integrates with CI/CD pipelines and CMS platforms becomes the product.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Trinity development pertains to two parcels of land located between the BSG facility and New Rutherford Avenue, and on New Rutherford Avenue, which are owned by the Boston Planning Department, the lawsuit states.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
-
That also pertains to our commitment to become a Spanish-English bilingual museum.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
January 20 – February 18 Pulling back slightly gives you a clearer read on everything today.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
5 May 2026
-
Buxton knows the plan — a fighting retreat that saves ownership money but still gives the team the chance to regroup and compete for a division title with strong starting pitching and an aggressive, small-ball approach from a young, athletic lineup.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Applies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/applies. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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