application

American  

[ap-li-kay-shuhn] / ˌæp lɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

• applications
  plural

1. the act of putting to a special use or purpose.

   the application of common sense to a problem.

   Synonyms:

   utilization

2. the special use or purpose to which something is put.

   a technology having numerous applications never thought of by its inventors.

3. the quality of being usable for a particular purpose or in a special way; relevance.

   This has no application to the case.

   Synonyms:

   pertinence, aptitude

4. the act of requesting.

   Her application for assistance was, surprisingly, received favorably by the members of the assembly.

   Synonyms:

   petition, suit, soliciting, solicitation

5. a formal or written request for employment, admission, funding, authorization, etc.: His first job application led to an interview.

   She submitted applications to three universities.

   His first job application led to an interview.

6. Also called application form. a form to be filled out by an applicant, as for a job or a driver's license.

   Attach a passport photo to your completed application.

7. close attention; persistent effort.

   Application to one's studies is necessary.

   Synonyms:

   perseverance, persistence, industry, diligence, assiduity

8. an act or instance of spreading on, rubbing in, or bringing into contact: a second application of varnish.

   the application of a compress to a wound;

   a second application of varnish.

9. a salve, ointment, or the like, applied as a soothing or healing agent.

10. Computers. a computer program, such as a word processor, graphics editor, utility, etc., used for a particular type of job or problem.

    The new version 4.0 of their music production application contains several improvements.

    Antiviral and firewall applications are system utilities that protect your computer.

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application British  

/ ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of applying to a particular purpose or use

2. relevance or value

   the practical applications of space technology

3. the act of asking for something

   an application for leave

4. a verbal or written request, as for a job, etc

   he filed his application

5. diligent effort or concentration

   a job requiring application

6. something, such as a healing agent or lotion, that is applied, esp to the skin

7. logic maths the process of determining the value of a function for a given argument

8. short for application program applications package

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application Scientific  

/ ăp′lĭ-kā′shən /

1. A computer program with an interface, enabling people to use the computer as a tool to accomplish a specific task. Word processing, spreadsheet, and communications software are all examples of applications.

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Synonym Usage

See effort.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interapplication
  noun
• nonapplication
  noun
• overapplication
  noun
• preapplication
  noun
• reapplication
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• applications
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of application

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Middle French applicacio(u)n, from Latin applicātiōn- (stem of applicātiō ), equivalent to applicāt(us) “applied” (past participle of the verb applicāre apply ) + -iōn- -ion

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Explanation

An application is a request for a job, assistance or admission to a school. Colleges might want you to submit your application by Dec. 1, but they won't let you know if you've been accepted until sometime in April. An application is also a form you fill out for something. If you need a handicapped parking permit, you and your doctor must first fill out an application and then submit it in the town hall. An application is also a computer program designed to perform a task or solve a problem. If you didn't get enough sleep last night, the careful application of makeup can mask the dark circles under your eyes.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

application applications

The developer withdrew its planning permission application in August, after its neighbours spoke out online, lobbied their MP and gathered more than 9,000 petition signatures.

From Barron's ● Nov. 8, 2026

Here’s a truncated example of one such email application, sent to the Houthis on Aug. 16:

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

An all-cash offer amounts to magic words for sellers, who get access to cash without any holdups, such as having to wait for underwriting to approve the buyer’s mortgage application.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026

One potential application involves treating pyrolysis oil produced when waste plastics are broken down for recycling.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

She tells me to go to the housing department to fill out an application, and how much she would like to have a nice young girl as her neighbor.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

Potential applications include ultrafast photonic devices, specialized computing accelerators inspired by the way biological brains process information, and advanced optical sensors.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2026

The scheme is worth a total of £150,000 and applications will be processed on a first come, first served basis, the council said.

From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2026

The Fanatics card, which will open for applications Monday, can’t be used to place bets directly.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 9, 2026

Research and advisory firm Gartner projects that by 2029, on-device AI models will handle 30% of all user-initiated AI tasks in enterprise applications, up from near zero in 2026.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

He’ll be helping in the science lab, as usual, and working on all his college applications in between.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina

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Related Words

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