Appropriate

Quick meaning: Appropriate is a verb meaning (transitive) To take to oneself; to claim or use, especially as by an exclusive right.

Meaning

(transitive) To take to oneself; to claim or use, especially as by an exclusive right.

More Meanings

1. (transitive) To set apart for, or assign to, a particular person or use, especially in exclusion of all others; with to or for.
2. (transitive, British, ecclesiastical, law) To annex (for example a benefice, to a spiritual corporation, as its property).
3. (transitive, archaic) To make suitable to; to suit.
4. Suitable or fit; proper; felicitous.
5. Suitable to the social situation or to social respect or social discreetness; socially correct; socially discreet; well-mannered; proper.
6. Of an action or thing: morally good; positive.
7. (obsolete) Set apart for a particular use or person; reserved.

Example Sentences

A spot of ground is appropriated for a garden.

to appropriate money for the increase of the navy

Let no man appropriate the use of a common benefit.

"I promise you," said she, after a pause of some minutes, "to wear the last new dress you gave me, it is a triumph of taste!" Lord Marchmont bowed, and appropriated the compliment as if the taste had been his own, not the milliner's.

Word Forms

• appropriates
• appropriating
• appropriated

Synonyms for appropriate

Depending on context, synonyms include impropriate, steal, allocate, earmark, apt, felicitous.

Antonyms for appropriate

Common opposites include inappropriate.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include apt, fit, suitable, apposite, befitting, apropos.

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