1
2
as in to devote
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 to spread
to put a layer of on a surface
apply the ointment liberally
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to use
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 to enforce
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 apply
From there, a wash of color on the eyes—either shade Poncho or Nude Dress from the 5 Couleurs Couture Eyeshadow Palette—was applied.
—
Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 14 May 2026
Note, though, that this automatic protection applies only to direct deposits of your Social Security benefits.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Batavia MainStreet Assistant Director Kristen Desler said more than 125 vendors applied to be part of this year’s market.
—David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
Though the yuan is harder to trade than the pound—China has a number of capital controls—the same logic, more or less, should apply to China today.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for apply
Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 14 May 2026
Note, though, that this automatic protection applies only to direct deposits of your Social Security benefits.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Batavia MainStreet Assistant Director Kristen Desler said more than 125 vendors applied to be part of this year’s market.
—David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
Though the yuan is harder to trade than the pound—China has a number of capital controls—the same logic, more or less, should apply to China today.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for apply
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apply
Verb
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According to the Cleveland Clinic, 5 to 8 percent of births in the United States are complicated by preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders.—
Tina Sturdevant,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
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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,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Footer devotes several chapters to his prolific London theatrical work, relying mainly on the record left by reviewers.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
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Cignetti has benefited from Indiana devoting more resources and spending on football than ever before, both from an infrastructure and roster perspective, and by using the transfer portal, where the Hoosiers were able to add several standouts.—
Antonio Morales,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
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It's got the largest Danish collection of living flora, including more than 13,000 plant species spread over ten hectares and housed in a complex of historic 19th-century greenhouses.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
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The evacuated passengers will enter quarantine in Nebraska after returning to the states, HHS said on Sunday, May 10, where they will be evaluated for symptoms and their risk of spreading the virus.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Verb
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While Marner avoided an abysmal 2025-26 season, the Leafs are expected to use the first-overall pick in the upcoming draft on Penn State star Gavin McKenna, the kind of player who should be able to help right the ship in a hurry.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
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Drake addresses Kendrick Lamar feud with fiery tracks The Grammy-winning rapper also used his latest musical project to reignite his feud with fellow emcee Kendrick Lamar.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
Verb
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We were warned by President and Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower, along with United States Marine Major General Smedley Butler about the virulently toxic, corruptive and destabilizing influences exerted upon our government by the military industrial complex.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
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Industry groups, meanwhile, are quashing proposals for higher taxes or stricter regulation by exerting pressure on lawmakers and cozying up to power players in the worlds of philanthropy, medicine, and science.—
Lev Facher,
STAT,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The lawsuit alleges the city enforced the rule against the rainbow fence but failed to cite other noncompliant households for similar fence-color violations.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
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The rules have already effectively started to be enforced by our home insurance companies, even in areas that are considered very low risk for wild fire.—
The San Diego Union Tribune,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
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In addition, this legislation could provide leaders with protection on state laws pertaining to NIL, which has led to lawsuits and a plethora of disagreements.—
Trey Wallace,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
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Furthermore, events preceding or following 04/09/2026 and/or pertaining to individual persons affiliated/associated to the companies were not included in the analysis.—
TIME Staff,
Time,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Trump demonizes immigrants and has launched a sweeping mass-deportation campaign that was cheered by the far right across Europe; Sánchez resists such nativism, and his government is in the midst of a program to give legal status to some half a million undocumented migrants living in Spain.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
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Two losses in last month’s three league matches gave the impression of momentum slipping, and even if performances improved towards the end of April, something different was needed to shift the energy towards the club.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Apply.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apply. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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