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
The saying also applies to clients.
—
Domenic Rom, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026
New Commissioner Rolando Escalona required them to instead apply through a public vetting process.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Just applying to college has become increasingly expensive.
—Micky Horstman, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Then a weaker oscillating magnetic field is applied atop it.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for apply
Domenic Rom, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026
New Commissioner Rolando Escalona required them to instead apply through a public vetting process.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Just applying to college has become increasingly expensive.
—Micky Horstman, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Then a weaker oscillating magnetic field is applied atop it.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for apply
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apply
Verb
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The spatial distance and how closely the mushrooms are genetically related also seem to be factors.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2026
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Last year, out of 111 fatalities across the state, 102 were speed-related.—
Kristi Miller,
Twin Cities,
2 May 2026
Verb
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The situation stems from the commendable liberal impulse to devote extensive resources to public education.—
Marc Novicoff,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
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News outlets devoted round-the-clock coverage to Jackson, and MTV dedicated its programming almost exclusively to the musician.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The rest of the property radiates outwards from here, incorporating four restaurants, rooms and suites spread across a number of individual low-rise blocks, the Conrad Spa, and meeting and events space.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
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Severe weather continues into Monday On Monday, the severe weather threat spreads northeast and stretches from the lower Mississippi River Valley up to the Midwest.—
Kyle Reiman,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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First, locate the radiant to the left of the waning moon using a handy smartphone stargazing app.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
2 May 2026
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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
Verb
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For years the owner, now 66, has watched tape, done his own player evaluations and sent observations and suggestions to DeCosta, mostly about players who might be available in later rounds — without exerting any actual decision-making power.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Proponents of citizen journalism saw the control exerted by a few professionals over the news agenda as problematic and hoped that bringing more contributors to the process would lead to news coverage that was more representative of the general public’s issues and concerns.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Miami-Dade Police Department was the initial agency that enforced the program, but it was replaced by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office in January 2025.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
3 May 2026
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If Congress didn't enforce the law then, why should Americans have confidence that it will be enforced now?—
NBC news,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
Verb
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The gala’s funds support acquisitions of garments and accessories, but also the institute’s reference library, which holds over 800 periodicals and 1,500 designer files pertaining to the history of fashion and clothing, dating back to the sixteenth century.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
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This is especially true when pertaining to your sense of security and self-worth.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Verb
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The casting has always managed to feel diverse, but in a guileless, incidental way, giving the appearance of multicultural inclusion without espousing any explicitly progressive viewpoints.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2026
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Inning-ending calls have been overturned, giving hitters another opportunity that, in some cases, has led to game-changing home runs.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Apply.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apply. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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