applied
Americanadjective
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having a practical purpose or use; derived from or involved with actual phenomena (distinguished from theoretical,opposed to pure).
applied mathematics; applied science.
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of or relating to those arts or crafts that have a primarily utilitarian function, or to the designs and decorations used in these arts.
Her goal was to integrate aesthetics into everyday life through an applied art, particularly with her hand-painted dinner plates.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of applied
Explanation
Something applied is practical, having to do with real-world situations and problems. Applied physics puts physics into use. If you have a mysterious lump, thank applied physics for the MRI the doctor uses to look inside your body. To apply is to make use of something, like applying a coat of paint. The past participle, applied describes things related to solving concrete problems, rather than dealing with ideas, principles, or philosophy. Applied chemistry, applied physics, and the applied sciences as a whole have to do with real-world issues. The opposite of applied is theoretical, which is only concerned with ideas.
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.
Staff at legal-services platform Harvey typically turn to top models from OpenAI, Anthropic and Google to complete high-stakes tasks, said Niko Grupen, head of applied research at Harvey.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026
In his 20s, he applied to become a firefighter several times, following in an older brother’s footsteps, but couldn’t pass the entrance exam, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026
Bollo, the son of a domestic worker and a line cook, said he’s applied to work as a teaching assistant and graduate researcher, which would waive the cost of his tuition.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2026
The two Syrian officials applied for asylum in Austria in 2015.
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026
Calculus allowed Newton to combine all these equations into one grand set of laws—laws that applied in all cases, under all conditions.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
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.
