appropriate
Americanadjective
-
suitable or fitting for a particular purpose, person, occasion, etc..
an appropriate example;
an appropriate dress.
- Antonyms:
- inept, inappropriate, unsuitable
-
belonging to or peculiar to a person; proper.
Each played his appropriate part.
verb (used with object)
-
appropriates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
appropriated,
past participle, past
-
appropriating
present participle
-
to set apart, authorize, or legislate for some specific purpose or use.
The legislature appropriated funds for the university.
-
to take to or for oneself; take possession of.
-
to take without permission or consent; seize; expropriate.
He appropriated the trust funds for himself.
-
to steal, especially to commit petty theft.
adjective
-
right or suitable; fitting
-
rare particular; own
they had their appropriate methods
verb
-
to take for one's own use, esp illegally or without permission
-
to put aside (funds, etc) for a particular purpose or person
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
appropriatenessnoun
-
appropriativenessnoun
-
appropriatornoun
-
reappropriateverb (used with object)
-
appropriableadjective
-
appropriativeadjective
-
nonappropriativeadjective
-
quasi-appropriateadjective
-
well-appropriatedadjective
-
appropriatelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
appropriatesimple
-
appropriatessimple
-
have appropriatedperfect
-
has appropriatedperfect
-
am appropriatingprogressive
-
are appropriatingprogressive
-
is appropriatingprogressive
-
have been appropriatingperfect progressive
-
has been appropriatingperfect progressive
Past
-
appropriatedsimple
-
had appropriatedperfect
-
was appropriatingprogressive
-
were appropriatingprogressive
-
had been appropriatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of appropriate
First recorded in 1515–25; from Late Latin appropriātus “made one's own” (past participle of appropriāre ), equivalent to Latin ap- ap- 1 + propri(us) “one's own, special, particular” + -ātus -ate 1
Explanation
Something appropriate is correct and fits the situation. A sweater-vest with reindeer on it is appropriate holiday apparel, even if it's totally embarrassing. The adjective appropriate is used when something is suitable or fitting. It comes from the Latin appropriare, which means "to make something fit, to make something one's own." Going back even further, appropriate is related to the Latin word proprius, "to belong to a person, thing, or group." Another appropriate way to use this word is as a verb, meaning to steal or seize something, the way you'd appropriate your sister's sandwich if she left it sitting near you.
Vocabulary lists containing appropriate
Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 1-10
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Declaration of the Rights of Woman (1791)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Last week, in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh was much more open about his views on the economy than he’d been previously and said he would back raising rates if appropriate.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
The addictive nature of autoplay and other features is “harmful, full stop, and that they’re not appropriate for the developing brain,” said Lowenthal, who authored the bill.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
The Welsh government said it was working with employers and trade unions to reduce pressures, support staff wellbeing and ensure appropriate mental health support was available.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Carey said his credit score had been restored within a few days but was unimpressed by the free points; 10,000, or about $100 to $200, would have felt more appropriate.
From Salon ● Sep. 1, 2026
Not much was appropriate for an eight-year-old boy.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
Quite the opposite, the best the majority could come up with is that “Congress would have ample means to stop that abuse, including, for example through the annual appropriates process.”
From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026
Reed included the language in a dedicated subsection of the Senate report accompanying the bill, which appropriates the money that funds the activities of the State Department among other priorities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2023
On the other hand, it allocates — or appropriates — money to carry out those policies.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 18, 2023
Among billions of dollars appropriated for semiconductor manufacturing and scientific research, the act appropriates $32.5 million to combat sex-based harassment in STEM.
From Scientific American ● Jun. 10, 2023
What, however, is most curious about it is that Rousseau in his criticism appropriates Malebranche’s hypothesis.
From Elements of Morals With Special Application of the Moral Law to the Duties of the Individual and of Society and the State by Paul Janet
Every dollar appropriated, he added, would be used to build the "lethality" of US military forces and "reinforce peace through strength".
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
The funds for the sculpture were appropriated by Congress, and lawmakers declared it complete in 1941 shortly after his death.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
“We are working with Congress to spend appropriated balances and find the right future-appropriated level for global health,” the spokesperson said.
From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026
AFP found some of the pottery products first appeared in content from real creators, before being appropriated.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
Thus, just about every small pasture was overgrazed and had been overgrazed ever since the government and the Ladd Devine Company appropriated most of the rest of the county some one hundred years ago.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
To Palantir’s old guard, the FDE remains as deeply misunderstood as ever, despite its newfound fame — a role that rivals are culturally appropriating while ignoring the often grueling engineering process it entails.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 4, 2026
The memo concluded that Congress still needs to pass “express language appropriating funds for back pay for furloughed employees, or such payments cannot be made.”
From Slate ● Oct. 11, 2025
This is not the first time that global brands have been accused to appropriating Indian traditional products without crediting their roots.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2025
But in the New York of “Daredevil,” Bernthal’s Castle lurks in the shadows and might have some thoughts about them appropriating his emblem.
From Salon ● Mar. 5, 2025
Ofelia took to appropriating Celia’s dresses and shoes.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
