Synonyms for apply
Most common
put to use appropriate employ utilize ask ask for refer extend
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Employ — to put to use; to use or employ for a particular purpose, or in a particular case
use, employ, appropriate, utilize, utilise UK, put to use, devote, turn, direct, appoint, bestow, dedicate, exercise, allot, addict, brook
2. Attach — to put closely; to join; to engage and employ diligently or with attention
Definitions
- v. 1
To put to use; to use or employ for a particular purpose, or in a particular case
to apply funds to the repayment of a debt
- v. 2
To put closely; to join; to engage and employ diligently or with attention.
- v. 3
To lay or place; to put (one thing to another)
- v. 4
To make use of, declare, or pronounce, as suitable, fitting, or relevant.
We need to apply the skills we’ve learned to solve this problem.
Related words
- Word family
- appliance applicable applicant applicate application applicatory applier
- Phrases
- apply oneself
- Other spellings
- appley
Forms
- Past participle
- applied
e.g. applied → used, employed, appropriated, utilized…
Example sentences
- appropriate It's not appropriate for puritanical misanthropic.
- employ The company has unofficially decided to employ me.
- utilize We had better utilize our natural resources.
- ask You should know better than to ask a lady her age.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| apply | steady | |
| appropriate | steady | |
| employ | falling | |
| utilize | falling | |
| ask | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- use1, ask1
- 4 letters
- give1, turn1, hold1
- 5 letters
- focus2, refer2, brook1, allot2
- 6 letters
- direct2, extend2, employ2, attach2, addict2, devote2, bestow2
- 7 letters
- request2, convert2, enforce2, utilize3, appoint2, incline2, utilise, pertain2
- 8 letters
- practice2, exercise3, dedicate3, practise2, dispense2
- 9 letters
- implement3
- 11 letters
- appropriate4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (focus2 = 2 syllables).