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.
The researchers tested whether ABT-263, a senolytic drug, could reduce this burden when applied directly to aged skin.
From Science Daily • May 20, 2026
And, best of all: Each one concretely teaches a tip about budget cooking that can be applied to other meals.
From Salon • May 19, 2026
“Tougher competition makes you fitter, and that fitness level can be applied around the world,” says Källenius.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
Frontier models can be applied to an infinite range of problems, we don’t fully understand them, and new capabilities ship at a breakneck pace.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
Now that the troop was close to the sleeping cliff, the animals spread out and applied themselves to digging in the soil.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
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.
