APPLYING Synonyms: 142 Similar and Opposite Words

applying

verb

present participle of apply

as in relating

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in devoting

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 spreading

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

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as in using

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

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as in exerting

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

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as in enforcing

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 applying During the LolaVie styling session, Aniston also praised Cox’s hair while applying the brand’s Glossing Detangler. — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026 The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week but layoffs remain in the historically healthy range of the past few years. — ABC News, 30 July 2026 In some cases, negotiating directly with medical providers, applying for financial assistance or restructuring your monthly budget may be sufficient to regain control without pursuing broader debt settlement. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 30 July 2026 Less than 1 percent of students applying to the University of Florida or Florida State University for the fall 2024 and 2025 semesters used a CLT score, records showed. — Chris Quintana, USA Today, 30 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 Advocates believe the administration hopes to discourage people from applying for citizenship by stripping citizenship from individuals in high numbers and through other actions. — Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Briceno recommends coating both sides of the brush, wiping away any excess, and making sure the bristles come to a clean edge before applying. — Marci Robin, Allure, 24 July 2026 The trailer relies on a hitch coupler force sensor to provide continuous feedback on the pull on the tow vehicle, managing the trailer's movement by increasing motor output or applying the electro-mechanical brakes located at all four wheels. — New Atlas, 23 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for applying

Verb

Its symbols represent a mathematical formula relating the time periods of celestial bodies’ motions in the sky.

— Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 13 July 2026
By researching Seth, Jacob is trying to recapture or devise a purer form of relating.

— Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 13 July 2026

Definition of relating

Verb

Meanwhile, police departments struggling with staffing shortages and budget cuts have stopped devoting resources to sweeping users and dealers off the streets or out of parks and playgrounds.

— Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Commentary on balancing internal compute allocations with devoting resources to rent externally will also be notable, given Microsoft continues to invest in Copilot and its first-party AI models.

— Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 26 July 2026

Definition of devoting

Verb

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
The competition series featured masters of shamanism, tarot, face and foot reading, saju and other divination disciplines competing in challenges that tested their abilities, using tools including fans, bells, dowsing rods and modern-day laptops.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 July 2026

Definition of using

Verb

But sometimes just thinking about tackling those jobs can feel exhausting, creating a barrier to success even for people who are highly motivated to improve their homes and their lives by exerting control over their belongings.

— Jolie Kerr, Washington Post, 18 July 2026
Supporters argue that these efforts are necessary to preserve attorney independence, protect client confidentiality, and prevent investors from exerting undue influence over lawyers.

— Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of exerting

Verb

First is to prevent their further migration by enforcing an international treaty obliging national authorities to treat ballast waters inside incoming ships that may carry such species.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Yet many of the city’s leaders, apparently supported by voters, view enforcing bans on the open sale and use of narcotics, and forcing addicts off the streets and into treatment, as akin to an act of state repression.

— Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026

Definition of enforcing

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
Clase’s camp has blamed the whole ordeal on a misinterpretation of texts and calls pertaining to rooster fighting.

— Zack Meisel, New York Times, 28 July 2026

Definition of pertaining

Verb

The loss dropped the A’s to 45-63 and 10 games out of both the American League West lead and the final AL Wild Card spot, while giving the red-hot Red Sox (56-51) no worse than a split of the four-game series ahead of Thursday’s finale.

— Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026
Head coach Andy Reid and Mahomes could be seen giving Royals instruction after the play.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026