APPLIES Synonyms: 142 Similar and Opposite Words

applies

verb

present tense third-person singular of apply

as in relates

to have a relation or connection does your rule about calling home apply to me as well?

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Relevance

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

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as in spreads

to put a layer of on a surface apply the ointment liberally

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as in uses

to put into action or service apply the laws of motion to this physics problem

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as in exerts

to bring to bear especially forcefully or effectively apply pressure to the area to stop the bleeding

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as in enforces

to carry out effectively a police officer applying the law

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of applies This article was generated by the CA Earthquake Bot, software that analyzes structured information, such as data, and applies it to articles based on templates created by journalists in the newsroom. —

Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 18 June 2026 The same also applies to players from other smaller soccer nations. —

Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026 That dictum applies beyond the theater. —

Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 18 June 2026 Starting with a white leather upper, the shoe applies Knicks orange and blue throughout the snaker as accents. —

Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 18 June 2026 The change applies to people with loans that were taken out after July 1, 2012. —

Elizabeth Schulze, ABC News, 18 June 2026 But this applies primarily to small individuals. —

Keith Sutton, Outdoor Life, 18 June 2026 This attitude also applies to considering the existence of aliens. —

Luis Parrales, The Atlantic, 18 June 2026 This applies even if your insurance will cover part of the cost. —

Karon Warren, AJC.com, 11 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for applies

Verb

But by then, Rockmount’s shirts were iconic, Weil relates in his third book about Western apparel and Rockmount.

— Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 8 June 2026
Silence = Death, the work of the Silence = Death Collective (and not ACT UP, as Avram Finkelstein relates in his interview) became the primary pictorial representation of ACT UP and a rallying slogan for the fight against the disease.

— Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 3 June 2026