Definition of Appropriate by Merriam-Webster

Full Definition of appropriate · 1 : to take exclusive possession of : annex No one should appropriate a common benefit. · 2 : to set apart for or assign to a ... Login SignUp Hello, Games&Quizzes Thesaurus WordoftheDay Features BuyingGuide M-WBooks MyWordsMyWords ViewRecents Account LogOut appropriate adjective SaveWord ap·​pro·​pri·​ate |\ə-ˈprō-prē-ət \ EssentialMeaningofappropriate :rightorsuitedforsomepurposeorsituation It'saformaloccasionandappropriateattire/dress/clothingisexpected.[=youareexpectedtowearformalclothing]Redwinewouldhavebeenamoreappropriatechoicewiththemeal.SeeMoreExamplesWe'llneedtofindanappropriate[=suitable]placetostorethefuel.Doyouthinkthemovieisappropriateforsmallchildren(tosee)?=Doyouthinkit'sappropriateforsmallchildrentoseethemovie?Themovieisperfectly/entirelyappropriateto/forpeopleofallages.Hide FullDefinitionofappropriate (Entry1of2) :especiallysuitableorcompatible:fitting anappropriateresponseremarksappropriatetotheoccasion appropriate verb ap·​pro·​pri·​ate |\ə-ˈprō-prē-ˌāt \ appropriated;appropriating Definitionofappropriate (Entry2of2) transitiveverb 1 :totakeexclusivepossessionof:annex Nooneshouldappropriateacommonbenefit. 2 :tosetapartfororassigntoaparticularpurposeoruse appropriatemoneyforaresearchprogram 3 :totakeormakeuseofwithoutauthorityorright naturalhabitatsthathavebeenappropriatedforhumanuse OtherWordsfromappropriate Synonyms&Antonyms ChoosetheRightSynonym Didyouknow? MoreExampleSentences LearnMoreAboutappropriate OtherWordsfromappropriate Adjective appropriately adverb appropriateness noun Verb appropriable \ ə-​ˈprō-​prē-​ə-​bəl \ adjective appropriator \ ə-​ˈprō-​prē-​ˌā-​tər \ noun Synonyms&Antonymsforappropriate Synonyms:Adjective applicable, apt, becoming, befitting, felicitous, fit, fitted, fitting, good, happy, meet, pretty, proper, right, suitable Synonyms:Verb arrogate, commandeer, convert, expropriate, pirate, preempt, press, seize, takeover, usurp Antonyms:Adjective improper, inapplicable, inapposite, inappropriate, inapt, incongruous, indecent, infelicitous, malapropos, misbecoming, unapt, unbecoming, unbeseeming, unfit, unfitting, unhappy, unmeet, unseemly, unsuitable, wrong VisittheThesaurusforMore  ChoosetheRightSynonymforappropriate Adjective fit,suitable,meet,proper,appropriate,fitting,apt,happy,felicitousmeanrightwithrespecttosomeend,need,use,orcircumstance.fitstressesadaptabilityandsometimesspecialreadinessforuseoraction. fitforbattle suitableimpliesanansweringtorequirementsordemands. clothessuitableforcamping meetsuggestsajustproportioning. meetpayment propersuggestsasuitabilitythroughessentialnatureoraccordancewithcustom. properacknowledgement appropriateimplieseminentordistinctivefitness. anappropriategift fittingimpliesharmonyofmoodortone. afittingend aptconnotesafitnessmarkedbynicetyanddiscrimination. aptquotations happysuggestswhatiseffectivelyorsuccessfullyappropriate. ahappychoiceofwords felicitoussuggestsanaptnessthatisopportune,telling,orgraceful. afelicitousphrase Didyouknow? Fromitsroots,theverbappropriatewouldmeanbasically"makeone'sown"—thatis,"take",orsometimes"grab".EachyearthePresidentandCongresscreateabudgetandappropriatefundsforeachiteminit,fundswhichmostlycomeintheformoftaxesfromthepublic.IntheHouseofRepresentatives,thepowerfulAppropriationsCommitteeoftengetsthelastwordonhowmuchmoneygoestoeachprogram."Misappropriationoffunds",ontheotherhand,isanicewayofsaying"theft".Ifsomeoneappropriatedpiecesofyournovel,youmighttakehimorhertocourt;andifyouappropriatedtradesecretsfromyourformeremployers,youmightbetheonesued. ExamplesofappropriateinaSentence Adjective Morethanalmostanyonewritingtoday,Slater,whoseproseisastringentandsensuousbyturn,reflectsbothagenuinefeelingforandappreciationoffoodsappropriatetotheseason—andatoleranceforkitchendisasters. —CynthiaZarin,Gourmet,April2007 Crepuscularmeans"pertainingtotwilight."Itsoundssolovely.Iusethewordasmuchaspossible,evenwhenit'snotappropriate. —BobBerman,Astronomy,June2006 Whileworkingasoneoftheexhibitioncurators,Iwassurprisedtolearnthat,untilthe1920s,icecreamwasproperlyeatenwithafork,acumbersometechniquedecriedbynoneotherthanFlorenceHowehall,thegranddaughterofJuliaWardHowe,whowrote"TheBattleHymnoftheRepublic".Butifhighsocietyeventuallyagreedonamoreappropriateutensilforeatingthefrozen-dessert,eventhemostaucouranthostessmayhavehadtroubledecidingwhatkindofdeviceshouldbeusedforservingit… —DarraGoldstein,Saveur,June-July2006 Threedays.Therewasnowayonthisearththatproperduediligencecouldbedoneinsuchalimitedtime.Foramergerofthismagnitude,aweek'sworthofduediligencewouldhavebeenmoreappropriate. —NinaMunk,VanityFair,January2004 Redwinewouldhavebeenamoreappropriatechoicewiththemeal. Themovieisperfectlyappropriatetopeopleofallages. Verb FromthissourceitwasappropriatedbyWilhelmRopkeinhisefforttodevelopasocialandpoliticaltheoryinwhichthemarketeconomywouldbereconciledwiththelocalcommunity. —RogerScruton,NationalReview,20June2005 Dr.Seuss'smother,alsothedaughterofGermanimmigrants,wasHenriettaSeuss,andwhenheappropriatedthenameforhisbooksDr.SeusspronounceditintheGermanmanner,"soice,"untilherealizedthatAmericansnaturallyreadthenameas"soose,"andthattheAmericanpronunciationof"Dr.Seuss"evokedafigureadvantageousforanauthorofchildren'sbookstobeassociatedwith—MotherGoose. —LouisMenand,NewYorker,23&30Dec.2002 Wales,incontrast,wasofficiallyappropriatedintotheUnitedKingdombyHenryVIII'sActsofUnion,in1536and1543,beforeithaddevelopedtheapparatusofamodernstate. —PamelaPetro,Atlantic,April1999 Thetownhasappropriatedfundstorepairthebridgeandworkshouldbeginthissummer. Theeconomyhasbeenweakenedbycorruptofficialswhohaveappropriatedthecountry'sresourcesfortheirownuse. Elementsofthedesignwereappropriatedfromotherarchitects. Theterm“bad”hasbeenappropriatedbyteenagersasasynonymfor“good.” SeeMore RecentExamplesontheWeb:Adjective Inthisrespect,thecomparisonwithTeslaisappropriate. — JamesMorris,Forbes,6Nov.2021 Nooneseemstobesuggestingtheconductwasappropriate.... — BostonGlobe.com,6Nov.2021 Lastweek,aNavyinvestigationintotheincidentdeterminedthatthesubmarinehadstruckanunchartedseamountainandthattheSeventhFleetcommanderwoulddeterminewhetheraccountabilityactionsmightbeappropriate. — LuisMartinez,ABCNews,4Nov.2021 Roundingtothenearestonefootmappingincrementtoviewpotentialimpactsisappropriatebasedontheaccuracyoftheelevationandtidalsurfacedatausedasmappinginputs. — AlexPutterman,courant.com,4Nov.2021 Now,bikeshortsareappropriateateventhemostformaloccasions,andstarslikeKimKardashianandJenniferLopeztotetheirBirkinstothefitnesscenter. — JanelleOkwodu,Vogue,4Nov.2021 That’snottosaythatchargingafeefordigitalappcontentsalesisn’tappropriate. — ChrisSmith,BGR,4Nov.2021 Willmoresaidteachersdecidewhatisappropriateandthathehasfelttargetedduetohisuniquestyle. — NBCNews,2Nov.2021 PrelogarsaidfederaljurisdictionisappropriateandthestateofTexasitself—notprivatecitizens—areultimatelyliableforitsunconstitutionality. — BillMears,FoxNews,1Nov.2021 RecentExamplesontheWeb:Verb SenatorsnotedonthefloorthatAlabamawillstillhave$1.7billioninRescuePlanfundstoappropriateforotherpurposes. — MikeCason|[email protected],al,1Oct.2021 PietHeinEek,a1990DesignAcademygraduate,wasamongthefirsttoappropriateabrickfactorybuilding. — WashingtonPost,1Oct.2021 Theoccasionalsuccessfuldefenseofthecitymightleadpoliticianstoconcludethatthere’slessurgencytoappropriatemoneyforrepairsorupgrades,butthatwouldbeamistake,Rogerssaid. — MarcFisher,TikRoot,AnchorageDailyNews,31Aug.2021 Lawmakerswouldmakethefinaldecisioninhowtoappropriatethefederalaid. — BruceSchreiner,TheCourier-Journal,5Oct.2021 Thethirdbillwouldappropriate$154millionfromthestateGeneralFund,including$19millionforthestatetobuythePerryCountyCorrectionalCenter,avacant,privateprisononU.S.80inUniontown,westofSelma. — MikeCason|[email protected],al,29Sep.2021 Themarketplaceiseagertoappropriateandsubduethiskindofanarchicenergy. — NewYorkTimes,15Sep.2021 YetthesomewhatnovelconceptofhavingartistsfromdifferentgenresappropriatetheirownversionofMetallica,andrewireHetfield’selectricemotions,makesforadventurousprogrammingandlistening. — A.d.Amorosi,Variety,10Sep.2021 SomelaborleadersarepushingforCongresstoappropriatemoremoneyforfrontlineworkerpay. — IrinaIvanova,CBSNews,8Sep.2021 Theseexamplesentencesareselectedautomaticallyfromvariousonlinenewssourcestoreflectcurrentusageoftheword'appropriate.'ViewsexpressedintheexamplesdonotrepresenttheopinionofMerriam-Websteroritseditors.Sendusfeedback. SeeMore FirstKnownUseofappropriate Adjective 15thcentury,inthemeaningdefinedaboveVerb 15thcentury,inthemeaningdefinedatsense1 HistoryandEtymologyforappropriate VerbandAdjective MiddleEnglish,fromLateLatinappropriatus,pastparticipleofappropriare,fromLatinad-+propriusown LearnMoreAboutappropriate Shareappropriate PosttheDefinitionofappropriatetoFacebook SharetheDefinitionofappropriateonTwitter TimeTravelerforappropriate Thefirstknownuseofappropriatewas inthe15thcentury Seemorewordsfromthesamecentury FromtheEditorsatMerriam-Webster TheGood,TheBad,&The... TheGood,TheBad,&TheSemanticallyImprecise-10/11/19 SomeofthewordsthatdefinedtheweekofOctober11,2019 ComeBackHereWithThat:10FunWords... ComeBackHereWithThat:10FunWordsforStealing Whichbythewayisvery,verywrong DictionaryEntriesNearappropriate appropinquity appropriate appropriatetechnology SeeMoreNearbyEntries  Statisticsforappropriate LastUpdated 10Nov2021 Look-upPopularity CitethisEntry “Appropriate.”Merriam-Webster.comDictionary,Merriam-Webster,https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/appropriate.Accessed12Nov.2021. Style:MLA MLA Chicago APA Merriam-Webster MoreDefinitionsforappropriate appropriate adjective ap·​pro·​pri·​ate |\ə-ˈprō-prē-ət \ KidsDefinitionofappropriate (Entry1of2) :especiallyfittingorsuitable Themovieisappropriateforsmallchildren. OtherWordsfromappropriate appropriately adverb Wedressedappropriatelyfortheoccasion. appropriate verb ap·​pro·​pri·​ate |\ə-ˈprō-prē-ˌāt \ appropriated;appropriating KidsDefinitionofappropriate (Entry2of2) 1 :totakepossessionofespeciallyinanillegalorunfairway 2 :tosetapartforacertainpurposeoruse Theschoolappropriatedfundsfornewbooks. appropriate transitiveverb ap·​pro·​pri·​ate |\ə-ˈprō-prē-ˌāt \ appropriated;appropriating Legal Definitionofappropriate 1 :tosetapartfororassigntoaparticularrecipient,purpose,oruse thelegislatureappropriatingfundsfortheprogram 2 :totakeormakeuseofwithoutauthorityorright OtherWordsfromappropriate appropriation \ ə-​ˌprō-​prē-​ˈā-​shən \ noun HistoryandEtymologyforappropriate LateLatinappropriaretotakepossessionof,fromadto,for+propriusone'sown MorefromMerriam-Websteronappropriate Nglish:TranslationofappropriateforSpanishSpeakers BritannicaEnglish:TranslationofappropriateforArabicSpeakers WORDOFTHEDAY edify SeeDefinitionsandExamples» GetWordoftheDaydailyemail! 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