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
Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda with one to two tablespoons of water to create a paste before applying it to the grout lines.
—
Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
Bethenny Frankel was innocently applying a roller on her face to help with inflammation on Thursday on Instagram.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
For decades, people applying for Medicaid were told their personal information — including their names, addresses and immigration status — would not be used for immigration enforcement.
—Alex Olgin, NPR, 13 Mar. 2026
That includes dressing wounds, applying topical agents or providing fluids or ice.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 12 Mar. 2026
Katherine McKenzie, the director of the Yale Center for Asylum Medicine, which conducts physical evaluations of people who are applying for asylum, said her organization typically encounters one or two cases a year of female genital mutilation.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 12 Mar. 2026
Individuals applying for Social Security after age 65 should be aware that Medicare Part A may be backdated up to six months, and contributions made during that lookback period are subject to a 6% IRS excise tax per year until corrected.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Households applying for the rebate must provide their 2025 federal tax return or other sources of income verification.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week was unchanged from the week before, a sign that layoffs remain at historically low levels.
—Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
Bethenny Frankel was innocently applying a roller on her face to help with inflammation on Thursday on Instagram.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
For decades, people applying for Medicaid were told their personal information — including their names, addresses and immigration status — would not be used for immigration enforcement.
—Alex Olgin, NPR, 13 Mar. 2026
That includes dressing wounds, applying topical agents or providing fluids or ice.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 12 Mar. 2026
Katherine McKenzie, the director of the Yale Center for Asylum Medicine, which conducts physical evaluations of people who are applying for asylum, said her organization typically encounters one or two cases a year of female genital mutilation.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 12 Mar. 2026
Individuals applying for Social Security after age 65 should be aware that Medicare Part A may be backdated up to six months, and contributions made during that lookback period are subject to a 6% IRS excise tax per year until corrected.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Households applying for the rebate must provide their 2025 federal tax return or other sources of income verification.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week was unchanged from the week before, a sign that layoffs remain at historically low levels.
—Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for applying
Verb
-
In relating her story this way, Gisèle is restoring to the record her waking life.—
Gaby Wood,
Vogue,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Morello himself serves as kind of a guide in the film, relating his own love of metal growing up as a Black kid in a conservative, ethnically homogeneous suburb of Chicago.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For parents, devoting one-on-one time to children who are not in crisis, acknowledging their experiences, and validating their feelings without trying to fix them can make an enormous difference.—
Debra Manetta,
STAT,
26 Feb. 2026
-
There are still young people out there who are devoting themselves to the craft.—
Outside,
Outside,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Since measles began spreading in Utah last summer, state health officials have barely acknowledged it.—
Erika Edwards,
NBC news,
13 Mar. 2026
-
South Florida has long dealt with invasive species, but this fast-spreading newcomer is raising urgent alarms among ecologists and wildlife officials.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The government wasn’t using autonomous weapons and claimed no mass-surveillance plans—but for a company to ask for those assurances in writing was to sign its own death warrant.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
-
To resolve this issue, the team developed a criterion that estimates the overlap between the prepared input state and the true ground state using the energy and energy variance of the initial state.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the total absence of the sort of star-level, gravity-exerting, math-altering superstar pillars that most NHL teams can rely on to create easier sledding for their teammates, the Canucks barely have the talent to hang in most games.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
In past interviews, Carvalho has denied exerting influence over the procurement process that led to the selection of AllHere.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Teaching against Islamophobia and enforcing policies that prohibit discrimination can help build safe and supportive environments for Muslim and Arab students.—
Amaarah DeCuir,
The Conversation,
13 Mar. 2026
-
But in some cases, the freeze may be the result of a debt collector enforcing a court judgment against you.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Kerr, never having been shy to share his opinion on a variety of topics pertaining to both basketball and politics, took a moment to consider the query.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
City residents will also see a novel referendum question on their ballots pertaining to an ordinance proposed by data center opponents that could give voters a say in approving large tax incentives for developers.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Voting for the Oscars ended March 5, possibly giving members of the academy just enough time to reconsider the slate of nominees.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The Deciphering program revisits five of the seven films screened during that inaugural year, giving audiences a rare chance to experience some of the festival’s earliest highlights.—
Essie Assibu,
Variety,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Applying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/applying. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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