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:
And all appropriate state and local taxes are applied to the house and mortgage-related expenses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
Superconductors are materials that can conduct electricity without electrical resistance under appropriate conditions.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
In reply, Brady said that it was not appropriate for her to discuss personal or personnel issues in open committee session.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
“Mosquitoes and ticks can be a literal pain in the butt. But don’t stay inside because of them. Just wear appropriate repellents or clothing. And enjoy being outdoors with friends and family.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
This was appropriate: Raphael had paid tribute to the Mona Lisa by painting his own versions, and his Castiglione was also turned to the side.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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
We want to ensure that funding is available, that Congress appropriates the right amount, and that states can operate their programs as needed to provide WIC services.
From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2024
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
Where he appropriates most, and leaves the laborer least, there lands are dearest, labor cheapest, and laborers least free.
From Cannibals all! or, Slaves without masters by George Fitzhugh
He said that when he met with congressional appropriators during his tenure, it was clear that money appropriated by Congress needed to be used for official U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
“It was all appropriated guitar bodies which Lucien had then turned into wall sculpture by either painting or adorning them with bottle caps, glitter, tin foil, etc,” Powers wrote in Office Magazine.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
To be sure, the president and the executive branch are charged with lawfully implementing congressional directives about the dispersal of appropriated funds.
From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026
Congress authorized reconstruction after the British burned the White House during the War of 1812 and specifically appropriated money used to construct the original East and West Wings.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
Already the other women with her, the blonde in the short pink bed jacket with the tatty fur trim, has been appropriated, has entered the glass elevator, has ascended out of sight.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
In his appropriating the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, also created and officially named by Congress, the president obtained the National Symphony Orchestra.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
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
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
The Owner had always believed that there was really only one Talent you needed in this world: The Talent for appropriating other peoples Talents.
From "A Tangle of Knots" by Lisa Graff
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
