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Synonym Chooser

How is the word applicable different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of applicable are apposite, apropos, germane, material, pertinent, and relevant. While all these words mean "relating to or bearing upon the matter in hand," applicable suggests the fitness of bringing a general rule or principle to bear upon a particular case.

the rule is not applicable in this case

When is apposite a more appropriate choice than applicable?

The meanings of apposite and applicable largely overlap; however, apposite suggests a felicitous relevance.

add an apposite quotation to the definition

When would apropos be a good substitute for applicable?

While in some cases nearly identical to applicable, apropos suggests being both relevant and opportune.

the quip was apropos

In what contexts can germane take the place of applicable?

In some situations, the words germane and applicable are roughly equivalent. However, germane may additionally imply a fitness for or appropriateness to the situation or occasion.

a point not germane to the discussion

When might material be a better fit than applicable?

Although the words material and applicable have much in common, material implies so close a relationship that it cannot be dispensed with without serious alteration of the case.

facts material to the investigation

When can pertinent be used instead of applicable?

The synonyms pertinent and applicable are sometimes interchangeable, but pertinent stresses a clear and decisive relevance.

a pertinent observation

When is it sensible to use relevant instead of applicable?

The words relevant and applicable are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, relevant implies a traceable, significant, logical connection.

found material relevant to her case

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 applicable The next applicable tiebreaker: record against the Western Conference. Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2025 But most of this insight is applicable to the Kids and Signature models as well. PC Magazine, 9 Apr. 2025 And to be sure, some may be more applicable to large companies in general, and to the financial services sector in particular, than to the broader commercial sector. Michael Peregrine, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025 First, the courts – and in particular the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts – have been expanding corporate constitutional rights, which could allow dual-class founders to carve out exceptions to generally applicable laws. Gregory H. Shill, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for applicable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for applicable
Adjective
  • While a regional court in Cologne initially recognized four of Birkenstock’s shoe models as works of applied art and granted the company’s orders in 2017, a higher regional court in the city later overturned the orders on appeal in 2022.
    Karen K. Ho, ARTnews.com, 21 Feb. 2025
  • In 1994, the applied mathematician Peter Shor was inspired by a recent oracle result to develop a fast quantum algorithm for factoring large numbers—a task whose apparent difficulty underlies the cryptographic systems that keep our online data secure.
    Ben Brubaker, WIRED, 2 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • OpenAI reports improvements in core competencies relevant to developers.
    Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Meta has argued in court papers that its purchases of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014 have benefited users, and that Zuckerberg's past statements are no longer relevant amid fierce competition from ByteDance's TikTok, Google's YouTube and Apple's messaging app.
    Jody Godoy, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The LLMs also recommended mental health assessments to these patients approximately six to seven times more often than what the validating physicians deemed appropriate and more than twice as often as the control group.
    Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
  • At the same time, have the appropriate confidence in you and your support circle to deal with whatever life throws your way.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • What may have been useful in saurischians, for example, may have been essentially useless — a Mesozoic appendix — in sauropods and theropods.
    Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Alpha Direct comes in a variety of fabric weights, from a partly see-through 60 gsm to a more useful (and durable) 120 gsm, all the way up to 190 gsm.
    Scott Gilbertson, Wired News, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This lightweight and very liquid formula is suitable for all skin types.
    Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Quicklime, on the other hand, is not suitable for use in garden soils due to safety issues.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The whispers of slimmer fitting silhouettes have been swirling on the runways: Indie sleaze-leaning skinny jeans at McQueen and Balenciaga, to the more Parisian chic straight leg and cropped trousers of Chanel, while Boss and Marni herald closer fit capris as a perfect springtime piece.
    Paulina Berges, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2025
  • There was something fitting about those four, from three different regions of Canada, serving as the faces of the game and its eras.
    James Mirtle, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Series Methodologies and practical guides for introducing research and scholarship in the classroom.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 21 Apr. 2025
  • And her people immediately rushed to assist her in practical ways.
    Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • By advocating for proper funding, schools will be able to take innovative approaches to increasing literacy rates, as well as seeing gains in math.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Just cut the tubing to the proper length and wrap it around the cables.
    Clint Davis, People.com, 20 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Applicable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/applicable. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on applicable

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