appropriate

[adjective uh-proh-pree-it; verb uh-proh-pree-eyt]

See more synonyms for appropriate on Thesaurus.com

adjective

suitable or fitting for a particular purpose, person, occasion, etc.: an appropriate example; an appropriate dress.
belonging to or peculiar to a person; proper: Each played his appropriate part.

verb (used with object), ap·pro·pri·at·ed, ap·pro·pri·at·ing.

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.

Origin of appropriate

1515–25; < Late Latin appropriātus made one's own (past participle of appropriāre), equivalent to Latin ap- ap-¹ + propri(us) one's own + -ātus -ate¹

Related formsap·pro·pri·ate·ly, adverbap·pro·pri·ate·ness, nounap·pro·pri·a·tive

[uh-proh-pree-ey-tiv, -uh-tiv] /əˈproʊ priˌeɪ tɪv, -ə tɪv/, adjectiveap·pro·pri·a·tive·ness, nounap·pro·pri·a·tor, nounnon·ap·pro·pri·a·tive, adjectivequa·si-ap·pro·pri·ate, adjectivequa·si-ap·pro·pri·ate·ly, adverbre·ap·pro·pri·ate, verb (used with object), re·ap·pro·pri·at·ed, re·ap·pro·pri·at·ing.well-ap·pro·pri·at·ed, adjective

Can be confusedappropriate apropos expropriate

Synonyms

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com

1. befitting, apt, meet, felicitous, suited, proper, due, becoming, pertinent. 3. apportion, allocate, assign.

Antonyms

1. unsuitable, inept.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for appropriate

Contemporary Examples

The art of leadership is the ability to move between the two poles at the appropriate times.
Fixing a Dysfunctional Family: Congress
Gene Robinson
November 9, 2014
It is indeed the human being's natural and appropriate response to danger.
Ebola, ISIS, the Border: So Much to Fear, So Little Time!
Gene Robinson
November 2, 2014
The names of the three girls were entered into the appropriate databases, and their passports were flagged.
How ISIS’s Colorado Girls Were Caught
Michael Daly
October 22, 2014
But the ambiguity of “appropriate disciplinary action” is what is so frightening about the smoking ban.
The University Of New Orleans’ Cigarette Ban Is Total BS
Chloé Valdary
October 21, 2014
An appropriate level of concern was evident everywhere; panic was nowhere to be found.
New York Nurses Are the Calm in Ebola’s Storm
Abby Haglage
October 21, 2014

Historical Examples

I understood precisely why the name of 'Reddy' was appropriate to you.
Grace Harlowe's Return to Overton Campus
Jessie Graham Flower
The dining-hall was decorated for the occasion with appropriate portraits.
Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 6, May 7, 1870
Various
Aside to audience in comic despair, with appropriate gesture.
The Dramatic Values in Plautus
Wilton Wallace Blancke
But he did not have the work acted; it was sung in costume with a background of appropriate scenery.
Handel
Edward J. Dent
They were appropriate to the place, and had been beautifully set to music.
Alice, or The Mysteries, Complete
Edward Bulwer-Lytton

British Dictionary definitions for appropriate

appropriate

adjective (əˈprəʊprɪɪt)

right or suitable; fitting
rare particular; ownthey had their appropriate methods

verb (əˈprəʊprɪˌeɪt) (tr)

to take for one's own use, esp illegally or without permission
to put aside (funds, etc) for a particular purpose or person

Derived Formsappropriable, adjectiveappropriately, adverbappropriateness, nounappropriative, adjectiveappropriator, noun

Word Origin

C15: from Late Latin appropriāre to make one's own, from Latin proprius one's own; see proper

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for appropriate

v.

early 15c., "take possession of," from Late Latin appropriatus, past participle of appropriare, adpropriare (c.450) "to make one's own," from Latin ad- "to" (see ad-) + propriare "take as one's own," from proprius "one's own" (see proper). Related: Appropriated; appropriating.

adj.

"specially suitable, proper," early 15c., from Latin appropriatus, past participle of appropriare (see appropriate (v.)). Related: Appropriately; appropriateness.

appropriate

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}appropriate

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Examples from the Web for appropriate

Contemporary Examples

The art of leadership is the ability to move between the two poles at the appropriate times.

It is indeed the human being's natural and appropriate response to danger.

The names of the three girls were entered into the appropriate databases, and their passports were flagged.

But the ambiguity of “appropriate disciplinary action” is what is so frightening about the smoking ban.

An appropriate level of concern was evident everywhere; panic was nowhere to be found.

Historical Examples

I understood precisely why the name of 'Reddy' was appropriate to you.

The dining-hall was decorated for the occasion with appropriate portraits.

Aside to audience in comic despair, with appropriate gesture.

But he did not have the work acted; it was sung in costume with a background of appropriate scenery.

They were appropriate to the place, and had been beautifully set to music.

appropriate

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for appropriate

v.

adj.

Origin of appropriate