as in to buckle (down)
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for apply (oneself)
Verb
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The pitchers on which the Padres will likely base such a determination are Michael King, who pitched just 73⅓ innings in 15 starts last season due to a nerve impingement near his throwing shoulder and knee inflammation, and Joe Musgrove, who did not pitch in ‘25 after Tommy John surgery.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026 -
What went into Shohei Ohtani’s decision to not pitch in WBC?—
Jack Vita,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With the new outsole compound also comes a multi-directional hex pattern that enables a runner to dig in on soft ground without being overburdensome on pavement.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
24 Feb. 2026
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Another week when my colleagues at The Journal dig in to gather the news to help all of us sort it out.—
Gail Ciampa,
The Providence Journal,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Magadan had a deadly reputation in the Stalin era, as a hub for Gulag mines where political prisoners slaved sometimes to death and produced gold and other minerals in the process.—
Ian Frazier,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
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Po’s journey begins while slaving away at his boring noodle job on the day the Dragon Warrior is to be chosen.—
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Nov. 2025
Verb
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After a 3-1 defeat at Fulham in September, Howe pulled Isak aside and told him to knuckle down.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
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European countries need to knuckle down and increase their military capabilities while Russia is still dedicating a chunk of its forces to its invasion of Ukraine, Sweden's defense minister has said.—
Ellie Cook — reporting from Prague, Czech Republic,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Since then, Budig has labored tirelessly to stoke enthusiasm for Summers’ book among her Inky Phoenix community members.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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When the novel opens in Florence, in 1557, the body of the painter Jacopo da Pontormo lies in the chapel of San Lorenzo—in front of the frescoes he’d labored over for a decade, with a painter’s chisel stuck in his heart.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Brian Cashman gets it all the time, but good, from Yankee fans; for them, banging away at Cashman on social media feels like the real national pastime.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
16 Aug. 2025
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Former staff leaked internal spats and embarrassing editorial ideas by the new leadership and pointed out that many top leaders were banging away at stories that were likely below their pay grade.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
9 June 2025
Verb
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Groceries and warehouse clubs like Sam’s and Costco do flawlessly what many of us struggle to do at home — roast a whole chicken to golden-brown perfection on a rotating spit so that every morsel is cooked evenly and deliciously tender.—
Gretchen McKay,
Twin Cities,
25 Feb. 2026
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Instead, 10 games into his college career, Arenas is struggling mightily with his offensive efficiency.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Apply (oneself).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apply%20%28oneself%29. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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