APPLY Synonyms: 142 Similar and Opposite Words

apply

verb

ə-ˈplī

Definition of apply

as in to relate

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to spread

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

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as in to use

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

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as in to exert

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

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as in to enforce

to carry out effectively a police officer applying the law

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 apply It’s recommended to apply sunscreen 15 minutes before sun exposure and reapply every two hours while outdoors. — Health Editorial Team, Health, 29 July 2026 The same discipline applies one level up, to the model providers themselves. — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 By applying a jammy, near-Baduist flow to the sequencing, Zay can cogently dissect 10 ideas in one three-minute song without sounding crowded or, worse, pretentious. — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 29 July 2026 Interested students can explore majors across CSU campuses and apply through the CSU Transfer Planner. — Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for apply

Recent Examples of Synonyms for apply

Verb

The company beat on the top line but missed Wall Street’s earnings forecast on the legal and severance-related charges.

— Todd Spangler, Variety, 29 July 2026
Not held separately, not synced on a schedule, but modeled so the system understands how records relate rather than just storing them.

— Patrick O'Connor, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

Definition of relate

Verb

For the past five years, Sapan has devoted much of his time to championing disability on screen through founding Marvels of Media Festival with the Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI), which celebrates the work of autistic media makers.

— Brent Lang, Variety, 25 July 2026
Interestingly, pop remains one of the only major genres without its own streaming tally, and for many years, there was no sales ranking devoted specifically to that style either.

— Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026

Definition of devote

Verb

Military firefighters in Sierra Oeste, Spain battled to contain flames as a wildfire spread overnight.

— Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Protesters blame Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and demand his resignation, but the demonstrations have since expanded into a wider anger over government accountability, spreading to other cities.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026

Definition of spread

Verb

There’s often debate about whether AI is used by employers to increase productivity among its workforce or cut wage costs, according to Brian Justie, a senior research analyst with the UCLA Labor Center.

— Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026
Investigators said Summers was using his phone extensively before the crash, driving 73-75 mph, and tested positive for cocaine and opiates.

— Chadd Cripe. Produced with AI assistance, Idaho Statesman, 30 July 2026

Definition of use

Verb

The Fed is charged with influencing the overnight lending rate among banks, and uses resources extracted from the private sector to exert its influence.

— John Tamny, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
The dynamic underscores how Trump continues to view tariffs as a tool for exerting pressure, both for trade grievances and as leverage in broader negotiations.

— Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 25 July 2026

Definition of exert

Verb

The suit alleges those employees knew the warehouse constructed on the property in 2022 would be used for fireworks storage and operations but did not enforce applicable safety and environmental requirements.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2026
Warner says Neo handles three critical tasks which include inventorying every piece of agentic software installed; assessing how each is configured; and, enforcing policies on what each is permitted to do.

— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 24 July 2026

Definition of enforce

Verb

The senator recently released more than 1,000 pages of Fauci’s personal records, including his pandemic-era diary, and several batches of documents pertaining to the origins of the coronavirus.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 29 July 2026
There are examples of this sort of thing across college athletics, where players try to avoid paying a buyout that pertains to their previous school.

— Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of pertain

Verb

Valkyrie is not quite open for business, but Eveland and her business partner — Valkyrie technical director Desmond Browning — gave a Statesman reporter and photographer a tour of the facility and a preview of the training that will be offered.

— Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 25 July 2026
In the hours after James’ decision was announced, Philadelphia’s odds of winning the NBA title surged from 20-1 to 10-1, giving the 76ers the fourth-best odds behind the Knicks, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.

— Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2026