1
as in relating
to have a relation or connection
does your rule about calling home apply to me as well?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in spreading
to put a layer of on a surface
apply the ointment liberally
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in using
to put into action or service
apply the laws of motion to this physics problem
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in exerting
to bring to bear especially forcefully or effectively
apply pressure to the area to stop the bleeding
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in enforcing
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 applying
Some portion of eligible people are probably discouraged from applying at all, believing the lottery system to be rigged or pointless.
—
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 May 2026
And if the cabinet grandfathers only the HS classes of 2024 and 2025 while applying the new rule to 2026 graduates, an entire cohort gets jammed onto the same clock as players one and two years older—a cliff disguised as a transition.
—Daryl G. Jones, Sportico.com, 15 May 2026
The key is not simply gathering more information, but applying judgment to interpret what matters and why.
—Dan Cavanaugh, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
The affirmative model that emerges from applying the framework is defined by a pattern rather than by a single bill.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 15 May 2026
After first applying for resettlement in Jordan, in 2004, the family was finally approved to move to Kentucky, in February, 2025.
—Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
One investigation examined the business and financial records of every hospice currently operating in LA County, California, applying the same indicators identified by state auditors as potential red flags for fraud.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 14 May 2026
An easy way to do this is by applying bronzer to the temples, the hollows of your cheeks, and under the jaw, as well as a bit on the bridge of your nose.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 7 May 2026
But the process of applying for that help can be onerous, and often requires disaster survivors to spend days filing paperwork.
—Lauren Sommer, NPR, 7 May 2026
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 May 2026
And if the cabinet grandfathers only the HS classes of 2024 and 2025 while applying the new rule to 2026 graduates, an entire cohort gets jammed onto the same clock as players one and two years older—a cliff disguised as a transition.
—Daryl G. Jones, Sportico.com, 15 May 2026
The key is not simply gathering more information, but applying judgment to interpret what matters and why.
—Dan Cavanaugh, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
The affirmative model that emerges from applying the framework is defined by a pattern rather than by a single bill.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 15 May 2026
After first applying for resettlement in Jordan, in 2004, the family was finally approved to move to Kentucky, in February, 2025.
—Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
One investigation examined the business and financial records of every hospice currently operating in LA County, California, applying the same indicators identified by state auditors as potential red flags for fraud.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 14 May 2026
An easy way to do this is by applying bronzer to the temples, the hollows of your cheeks, and under the jaw, as well as a bit on the bridge of your nose.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 7 May 2026
But the process of applying for that help can be onerous, and often requires disaster survivors to spend days filing paperwork.
—Lauren Sommer, NPR, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for applying
Verb
-
The young players seem to like how Harbaugh is teaching and relating, too.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
-
Some of them are old systems of knowledge, ways of relating the body to fertility, death, and survival.—
George Nelson,
ARTnews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Thorne and director Marc Munden made other changes, devoting extra time to a destructive fire caused by the boys’ poor decision-making (and refusal to listen to Piggy).—
Stuart Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2026
-
Hantavirus misinformation is spreading fast.—
Allison Parshall,
Scientific American,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The rooms Judy likes to give each hotel a personality, but using Poldark as inspiration wouldn’t be nearly quirky enough for the Hutsons.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
The stores will be roughly 20,000 square feet and exclusively accessible to gig workers using the retailer’s Spark delivery driver app to collect orders and bring them to customers.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims that the leader is lucid and exerting total control over the country that his office commands.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The state law DeSantis signed last summer bars local governments from enforcing regulations hindering the construction or operation of a presidential library, as defined by the federal Presidential Libraries Act.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
8 May 2026
-
In California, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control began enforcing its crackdown at more than 4,600 licensed locations in February.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Rebecca Green, a law professor and director of the Election Law Program at William & Mary Law School in Virginia, said the court there rejected the redistricting plan based on narrow grounds pertaining to Virginia law on amending the state Constitution, which doesn’t apply in California.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
There were also other incidents included in complaints to the athletic department pertaining to workouts that are currently being investigated, as well as allegations that the head coach held back on money that was supposed to be given to the players for meal expenses while traveling to away games.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
And the end came well before midnight, with goals by Mitch Marner and Brett Howden in the first 8½ minutes giving Vegas a commanding lead before many in the late-arriving weeknight crowd had made it to their seats at the Honda Center.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
-
Las Vegas moved on from the quarterback this offseason in favor of Cousins and Mendoza, less than a year after giving Smith more than $58 million guaranteed.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Applying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/applying. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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