appropriate
1 of 2adjective
appropriate
2 of 2verb
transitive verb
Did you know?
From its roots, the verb appropriate would mean basically "make one's own"—that is, "take", or sometimes "grab". Each year the President and Congress create a budget and appropriate funds for each item in it, funds which mostly come in the form of taxes from the public. In the House of Representatives, the powerful Appropriations Committee often gets the last word on how much money goes to each program. "Misappropriation of funds", on the other hand, is a nice way of saying "theft". If someone appropriated pieces of your novel, you might take him or her to court; and if you appropriated trade secrets from your former employers, you might be the one sued.
Synonyms
Adjective
- applicable
- apt
- becoming
- befitting
- felicitous
- fit
- fitted
- fitting
- good
- happy
- meet
- pretty
- proper
- right
- suitable
Verb
- arrogate
- commandeer
- convert
- expropriate
- pirate
- preempt
- press
- seize
- take over
- usurp
Example Sentences
Cynthia Zarin, Gourmet, April 2007 Crepuscular means "pertaining to twilight." It sounds so lovely. I use the word as much as possible, even when it's not appropriate. Bob Berman, Astronomy, June 2006 While working as one of the exhibition curators, I was surprised to learn that, until the 1920s, ice cream was properly eaten with a fork, a cumbersome technique decried by none other than Florence Howe hall, the granddaughter of Julia Ward Howe, who wrote "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". But if high society eventually agreed on a more appropriate utensil for eating the frozen-dessert, even the most au courant hostess may have had trouble deciding what kind of device should be used for serving it … Darra Goldstein, Saveur, June-July 2006 Three days. There was no way on this earth that proper due diligence could be done in such a limited time. For a merger of this magnitude, a week's worth of due diligence would have been more appropriate. Nina Munk, Vanity Fair, January 2004 Red wine would have been a more appropriate choice with the meal. The movie is perfectly appropriate to people of all ages. Verb From this source it was appropriated by Wilhelm Ropke in his effort to develop a social and political theory in which the market economy would be reconciled with the local community. Roger Scruton, National Review, 20 June 2005 Dr. Seuss's mother, also the daughter of German immigrants, was Henrietta Seuss, and when he appropriated the name for his books Dr. Seuss pronounced it in the German manner, "soice," until he realized that Americans naturally read the name as "soose," and that the American pronunciation of "Dr. Seuss" evoked a figure advantageous for an author of children's books to be associated with—Mother Goose. Louis Menand, New Yorker, 23 & 30 Dec. 2002 Wales, in contrast, was officially appropriated into the United Kingdom by Henry VIII's Acts of Union, in 1536 and 1543, before it had developed the apparatus of a modern state. Pamela Petro, Atlantic, April 1999 The town has appropriated funds to repair the bridge and work should begin this summer. The economy has been weakened by corrupt officials who have appropriated the country's resources for their own use. Elements of the design were appropriated from other architects. The term “bad” has been appropriated by teenagers as a synonym for “good.” See More WIRED, 8 Sep. 2022 NeJame said the charge could be appropriate whether the deputy was justified in shooting Richardson or not. Amanda Rabines, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2022 Relationship experts cite power imbalances as a sign that a relationship may not be appropriate. Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 3 Sep. 2022 The setting was appropriate: the chandelier pearl gown featured micro-pleats of silk tulle, pearl embellishments and Swarovski crystal detailing. Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 2 Sep. 2022 It’s certainly not something that is appropriate at all in this state, certainly not in our schools. Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 1 Sep. 2022 Intentionally nurturing these relationships -- with material gifts, if appropriate -- may lift your confidence today. Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2022 For instance, what type of cases are deemed appropriate? Becky Jacobs, The Salt Lake Tribune, 18 Aug. 2022 Adjusting the stock allocation back to target (if appropriate based on the individual circumstances and risk tolerance) could help investors prepare for the next market upcycle. WSJ, 7 Aug. 2022 Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2022 Beshear has resisted calls for another special session, saying there are no more ARPA funds to appropriate until next year. Joe Sonka, The Courier-Journal, 11 Oct. 2021 Former President Trump invoked the National Emergencies Act to reallocate billions of dollars to build a wall along the nation’s southern border after Congress refused to appropriate the funds. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 15 July 2022 Putin has long tried to appropriate Russia’s imperial past to shape a modern national identity, Villanova University Russian history professor Lynne Hartnett wrote in The Washington Post. Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 10 June 2022 Putin has long tried to appropriate Russia’s imperial past to shape a modern national identity, Villanova University Russian history professor Lynne Hartnett wrote in The Washington Post. Amy Cheng And Reis Thebault, Anchorage Daily News, 10 June 2022 The growing capacity problem, along with an unusually large sum of money the state had to appropriate this year, encouraged the Legislature to allocate $1 million to the project in 2021 and another $12 million this year. Daedan Olander, The Salt Lake Tribune, 9 Apr. 2022 But these proposals have raised concerns among some international law experts, who warned the administration cannot appropriate Russian funds because the Kremlin has not directly attacked the United States. Amy Cheng, Washington Post, 18 May 2022 Congress seems willing to appropriate money for everything else, and Social Security will likely continue to be the untouchable third rail. WSJ, 16 June 2022 See More Word History
Verb and Adjective
Middle English, from Late Latin appropriatus, past participle of appropriare, from Latin ad- + proprius own
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
appropriate 1 of 2
adjective
appropriate
2 of 2verb
Legal Definition
appropriate
transitive verb
appropriate 1 of 2
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- suitable
- proper
- fitting
- fit
- fitted
- good
- applicable
- adequate
- right
- acceptable
- needed
- befitting
- required
- happy
- pretty
- apt
- meet
- balanced
- in order
- felicitous
- becoming
- satisfactory
- correct
- requisite
- deserved
- justified
- able
- competent
- capable
- qualified
- decent
- just
- decorous
- rightful
- cut out
- serviceable
- tolerable
- condign
- respectable
- trained
- seemly
- kosher
- harmonious
- congruous
- consonant
- pitch-perfect
- companionate
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- inappropriate
- improper
- unsuitable
- wrong
- incongruous
- unseemly
- unfitting
- inapplicable
- inadequate
- unfit
- indecent
- unbecoming
- unhappy
- incapable
- unacceptable
- inapt
- incompetent
- unsatisfactory
- unqualified
- intolerable
- infelicitous
- unskilled
- inapposite
- unapt
- inept
- untrained
- incorrect
- inexpert
- unmeet
- unbeseeming
- unskillful
- incompatible
- indecorous
- malapropos
- misbecoming
- uncongenial
- graceless
appropriate
2 of 2verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- seize
- confiscate
- usurp
- grab
- convert
- preempt
- occupy
- assume
- claim
- pirate
- steal
- annex
- attach
- arrogate
- commandeer
- take over
- expropriate
- press
- invade
- loot
- snatch
- collar
- grasp
- impound
- misuse
- wrench
- misappropriate
- infringe
- repossess
- encroach
- trespass
- pillage
- preoccupy
- despoil
- sequester
- peculate
- wrest
- misapply
- embezzle
Synonyms & Similar Words
- steal
- swipe
- misappropriate
- rip off
- lift
- grab
- pilfer
- hook
- boost
- filch
- pocket
- purloin
- take
- pinch
- nick
- pick
- snatch
- nip
- snitch
- thieve
- rob
- run off with
- hijack
- seize
- loot
- heist
- walk off with
- make away with
- sack
- spirit
- make off with
- knock over
- collar
- plunder
- pillage
- rifle
- grasp
- rustle
- burglarize
- nail
- sponge
- highjack
- kidnap
- poach
- shoplift
- abduct
- shanghai
- carjack
- mooch
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- purchase
- present
- buy
- give
- contribute
- bestow
- hand over
- donate
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of appropriate are apt, felicitous, fitting, fit, happy, meet, proper, and suitable. While all these words mean "right with respect to some end, need, use, or circumstance," appropriate implies eminent or distinctive fitness.
In some situations, the words apt and appropriate are roughly equivalent. However, apt connotes a fitness marked by nicety and discrimination.
The synonyms felicitous and appropriate are sometimes interchangeable, but felicitous suggests an aptness that is opportune, telling, or graceful.
The words fit and appropriate can be used in similar contexts, but fit stresses adaptability and sometimes special readiness for use or action.
Although the words fitting and appropriate have much in common, fitting implies harmony of mood or tone.
The meanings of happy and appropriate largely overlap; however, happy suggests what is effectively or successfully appropriate.
While in some cases nearly identical to appropriate, meet suggests a just proportioning.
The words proper and appropriate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, proper suggests a suitability through essential nature or accordance with custom.
While the synonyms suitable and appropriate are close in meaning, suitable implies an answering to requirements or demands.