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
If a parent applies for a Parent PLUS Loan and is denied, the student may automatically qualify for additional federal aid, up to $4,000 for underclassmen and $5,000 for upperclassmen.
—
La'tasha Givens, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
The next applies the policy or business logic.
—Anita Beveridge-Raffo, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
The same discount also applies to all IGK products in our special Amazon storefront, including standout hair balms, texture sprays, and more.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
As proposed, politicians also could ignore a rule that applies to everyone else, that any grant application must be submitted to the county at least 90 days before an event.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026
But the percentage boost from delaying applies to everyone’s benefit regardless of income level.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Because this election involves only referendums — no candidates — the vote-by-mail format applies.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
The pardon only applies to federal crimes.
—ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
Now, even when just 16 of the NHL’s 32 teams make the playoffs, that old-school thinking still applies.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
La'tasha Givens, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
The next applies the policy or business logic.
—Anita Beveridge-Raffo, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
The same discount also applies to all IGK products in our special Amazon storefront, including standout hair balms, texture sprays, and more.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
As proposed, politicians also could ignore a rule that applies to everyone else, that any grant application must be submitted to the county at least 90 days before an event.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026
But the percentage boost from delaying applies to everyone’s benefit regardless of income level.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Because this election involves only referendums — no candidates — the vote-by-mail format applies.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
The pardon only applies to federal crimes.
—ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
Now, even when just 16 of the NHL’s 32 teams make the playoffs, that old-school thinking still applies.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for applies
Verb
-
Considered narrowly, statesmanship relates primarily to politics and government.—
John T. Shaw,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Antinous is the principal mortal antagonist in Homer’s Odyssey, which relates Odysseus’s difficulties while getting home and how Penelope and her son, Telemachus, struggled to maintain their authority on Ithaca.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Mar. 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
-
But the reality is that as automation spreads, skills like critical thinking, communication and emotional intelligence become more valuable.—
Catherine Thorbecke,
Boston Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Sargassum originates from the eastern Caribbean and spreads throughout Florida's East Coast and elsewhere.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His signature dish, the popular snack bread cheela, made by lightly frying bread in gram flour, naturally uses less fuel than some treats.—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Given that harvesting grapes is time-sensitive, researchers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have invented a portable optical sensor that uses state-of-the-art machine learning to give winemakers instant information about the ripeness of their grapes, news agency SWNS reported.—
Maureen Mackey , Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The new data comes as the Iran war has strangled the global supply chain as Iran exerts its control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-third of global fertilizer shipments flowed before the war.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
In athletes, fat stored in muscle — predominantly in muscle fiber droplets — is an important energy reserve that the body taps into when a person exerts an extraordinary amount of energy.—
Kaitlin Sullivan,
NBC news,
14 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
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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
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That also pertains to our commitment to become a Spanish-English bilingual museum.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Each necklace has a little pavé jump ring that attaches it to the chain and gives it a subtle sparkle.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Styles checks every box in the type of player the Commanders covet — tough, versatile, athletic, smart — and gives them a young player to build around for years to come.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Applies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/applies. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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