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?

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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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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 The people in the crosshairs The most drastic shifts impact those who plan to stay in Japan for the longest – those applying for permanent residency, a status that grants rights to work, unlimited entries, and infinite stay. — Christine Miyawaki, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026 In a normal Transformer, tokens—the units of information that large language models process—are passed from lower layers of a model’s neural network to higher layers sequentially, with each layer applying mathematical operations in turn. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026 At the time, most of Navarrete’s clients were women applying for a U visa, which offers legal status for crime victims who assist law enforcement in the prosecution of perpetrators. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Deputies treated the man at the scene, applying a tourniquet to his wound, before he was taken to a hospital where he was said to be in stable condition. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Saudi Arabia is applying the same lessons in resiliency that Aramco, one of HUMAIN’s shareholders, applied to securing its oil infrastructure, Amin said. — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Contrary to popular belief, applying ice or using a tourniquet can worsen the effects of a venomous snakebite by slowing blood flow. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 Allow the serum to dry completely before applying any other products or lying down to sleep. — Iman Balagam, Vogue, 27 Aug. 2026 Vanessa said her South Florida hospital tried to help by applying for a work visa on her behalf, but the application was denied. — Tania Francois, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for applying

Verb

The bill would allow a 35% to 50% credit on qualified expenses relating specifically to post-production in California.

— Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Relationship science draws a useful line here between two ways of relating.

— Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of relating

Verb

That tells me that GoPro was able to bring it to market without devoting huge resources to development.

— Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
Advisors can use technology to automate routine work, reinforce discipline and enhance consistency while devoting more time to relationships, decision making and portfolio construction.

— Alex Shahidi, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of devoting

Verb

The resumption of classes comes in the middle of a ravaging disease outbreak that is spreading rapidly.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Don’t be alarmed, but George Michael fever — which is the incessant urge to listen to the music British singer-songwriter George Michael — has been spreading for the past couple of years.

— Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of spreading

Verb

Operators can also continue using diesel when hydrogen supplies are unavailable.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
Razorbill brings that experience to one of the industry's most recognizable blade profiles, using extensive CNC machining to make geometry itself part of both the product's performance and its appearance.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of using

Verb

Heat cramps typically occur after exerting yourself in the heat and sweating a lot.

— Dale Denwalt, Oklahoman, 29 Aug. 2026
Iran is exerting pressure of its own by largely closing the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that carried a fifth of the world’s oil and gas before the war.

— David Rising, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of exerting

Verb

In March, the Supreme Court barred California from enforcing state rules that restrict when schools can notify parents about students who come out as transgender and require teachers to use children’s preferred pronouns.

— Daniella Silva, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026
The statutes of Life, Truth, and Love, all synonyms for God, are the laws of God at work throughout all of creation, enforcing unselfishness, integrity, and justice for all.

— The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of enforcing

Verb

However, a felony and four misdemeanor charges pertaining to domestic violence were dropped.

— Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
But technically, there is no rule pertaining to a player going from an SEC school to the NFL, and then back to another conference program within the same year.

— Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of pertaining

Verb

After wrapping up its longest monthly losing streak on Wall Street in more than a decade, Google has started September by giving investors several reasons for optimism.

— MacKenzie Sigalos,Drew Troast, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
The voyage involved a 57,038-DWT bulk carrier, giving the system a test under real commercial operating conditions.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026