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)
-
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
- appropriable adjective
- appropriately adverb
- appropriateness noun
- appropriative adjective
- appropriativeness noun
- appropriator noun
- nonappropriative adjective
- quasi-appropriate adjective
- reappropriate verb (used with object)
- well-appropriated adjective
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.
Most importantly for the long term, we are seeing the EU lay the groundwork for a potential flourishing of capitalism by supporting technology and innovation and by reforming and deregulating where appropriate.
From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026
Smith emphasized that these findings apply at the population level and may not be appropriate for every individual.
From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026
The Bank of Korea held its base rate at 2.5% for a seventh straight meeting, which Shin described as appropriate ‘strategic patience’.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
It concluded that the footballer "would have had a better chance of survival" with adequate treatment in an appropriate medical facility.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
I fisted my hands at my sides and stood through it, echoing amen when it was appropriate.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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.
