apply
verb (used with object)
to make use of as relevant, suitable, or pertinent.
were applying
-
past progressiveof apply.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
“They were applying enough pressure and urgency and back and forth to where it’s like an emotional roller coaster,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
She added government-funded research showed that pollution is still happening when owners were applying spot-on treatments correctly, so the current advice on application was wrong, as was failing to advise against preventative treatment.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
"And it would be a little surprising if, after 150 years, we suddenly discovered we were applying the Citizenship Clause all wrong."
From Barron's ● Apr. 1, 2026
But people who were applying for mortgages to buy homes in rural areas were less likely to be local buyers, the report found.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 20, 2025
There was an excitement in the air, as some were applying to a program at Yale that allowed them to skip their senior year in high school.
From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers
