Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense appropriates, present participle appropriating, past tense, past participle appropriatedpronunciation note: The adjective is pronounced (əproʊpriət). The verb is pronounced (əproʊprieɪt).
1. adjective
Something that is appropriate is suitable or acceptable for a particular situation.
It is appropriate that Irish names dominate the list.
Dress neatly and attractively in an outfit appropriate to the job.
The teacher can then take appropriate action.
Synonyms: suitable, right, fitting, fit More Synonyms of appropriate
appropriatelyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
Dress appropriately and ask intelligent questions.
It's entitled, appropriately enough, 'Art for the Nation'.
appropriatenessuncountable noun [oft NOUNof noun]
He wonders about the appropriateness of each move he makes.
Synonyms: suitability, fitness, relevance, correctness More Synonyms of appropriate
2. verb
If someone appropriates something which does not belong to them, they take it, usually without the right to do so.
[formal]
Several other newspapers have appropriated the idea. [VERB noun]
The land was simply appropriated by the rulers. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: seize, take, claim, assume More Synonyms of appropriate
3. verb
If a government or organization appropriates an amount of money for a particular purpose, it reserves it for that purpose.
[formal]
The legislature authorized the raising of an army and appropriated money to supplyit with weapons. [VERB noun]
More Synonyms of appropriate
appropriate in British English
adjective (əˈprəʊprɪɪt)
1.
right or suitable; fitting
2. rare
particular; own
they had their appropriate methods
verb (əˈprəʊprɪˌeɪt)(transitive)
3.
to take for one's own use, esp illegally or without permission
4.
to put aside (funds, etc) for a particular purpose or person
Derived forms
appropriable (apˈpropriable)
adjective
appropriately (apˈpropriately)
adverb
appropriateness (apˈpropriateness)
noun
appropriative (apˈpropriative)
adjective
appropriator (apˈpropriˌator)
noun
Word origin
C15: from Late Latin appropriāre to make one's own, from Latin proprius one's own; see proper
appropriate in American English
(əˈproʊpriˌeɪt; for adj., əˈproʊpriɪt)
verb transitiveWord forms: apˈpropriˌated or apˈpropriˌating
1.
to take for one's own or exclusive use
2.
to take improperly, as without permission
3.
to set aside for a specific use or certain person
to appropriate funds for the schools
adjective
4.
right for the purpose; suitable; fit; proper
SIMILAR WORDS: fit
Derived forms
appropriately (apˈpropriately)
adverb
appropriateness (apˈpropriateness)
noun
appropriative (apˈpropriˌative)
adjective
appropriator (apˈpropriˌator)
noun
Word origin
ME appropriaten < LL appropriatus, pp. of appropriare, to make one's own < L ad-, to + proprius, one's own
Examples of 'appropriate' in a sentence
appropriate
As long as you have the proper seals on your containers and the appropriate documents, there's nothing to worry about.
Val McDermid THE LAST TEMPTATION (2002)
I can give you an example right now of one way your involvement might be appropriate.
Hugo Wilcken THE EXECUTION (2002)
For a moment she thought of giving the money to an appropriate charity.
Smith, Evelyn E MISS MELVILLE REGRETS (2002)
In other languages
appropriate
British English: appropriate /əˈprəʊprɪɪt/ ADJECTIVE
Something that is appropriate is suitable or acceptable for a particular situation.
Wear an outfit appropriate to the job.
American English: appropriate
Arabic: مُلَائِم
Brazilian Portuguese: apropriado
Chinese: 适当的
Croatian: prikladan
Czech: vhodný
Danish: passende
Dutch: geschikt
European Spanish: apropiado adecuado
Finnish: sopiva
French: approprié
German: passend
Greek: κατάλληλος
Italian: adatto
Japanese: 適切な
Korean: 적합한
Norwegian: passende
Polish: odpowiedni
European Portuguese: apropriado
Romanian: potrivit
Russian: соответствующий
Latin American Spanish: apropiado
Swedish: lämplig
Thai: เหมาะสม
Turkish: uygun
Ukrainian: відповідний
Vietnamese: thích hợp
Chinese translation of 'appropriate'
appropriate
(adjəˈprəuprɪɪt; vbəˈprəuprɪeɪt)
adj
(= suitable)
[remarks, behaviour, clothing]恰当(當)的 (qiàdàng de)
[person, authority]相关(關)的 (xiāngguān de)
vt
(frm, = steal)
[property, materials, funds]盗(盜)用 (dàoyòng)
[idea]剽窃(竊) (piáoqiè)
it is/seems appropriate to ... ... 是/似乎是恰当(當)的 ( ... shì/sìhū shì qiàdàng de)
it is appropriate that ... ... 是恰当(當)的 ( ... shì qiàdàng de)
to take appropriate action采(採)取适(適)当(當)的行动(動) (cǎiqǔ shìdàng de xíngdòng)
appropriate to sth与(與)某物相称(稱) (yǔ mǒuwù xiāngchèn)
appropriate for sth/sb适(適)合于(於)某物/某人 (shìhé yú mǒuwù/mǒurén)
All related terms of 'appropriate'
appropriate to sth
与(與)某物相称(稱) yǔ mǒuwù xiāngchèn
appropriate for sth/sb
适(適)合于(於)某物/某人 shìhé yú mǒuwù/mǒurén
it is appropriate that ...
... 是恰当(當)的 ... shì qiàdàng de
to take appropriate action
采(採)取适(適)当(當)的行动(動) cǎiqǔ shìdàng de xíngdòng
it is/seems appropriate to ...
... 是/似乎是恰当(當)的 ... shì/sìhū shì qiàdàng de
(adjective)
Definition
right or suitable
It is appropriate that Irish names dominate the list.
Synonyms
suitable
She had no other dress suitable for the occasion.
right
Make sure you approach it in the right way.
fitting
The President's address was a fitting end to the campaign.
fit
You're not fit to be in charge of this company.
suited
correct
They refuse to adopt the rules of correct behaviour.
belonging
relevant
Make sure you enclose all the relevant certificates.
proper
Please ensure that the proper procedures are followed.
to the point
The description he gave was brief and to the point.
in keeping
apt
The words of this report are as apt today as they were in 1929.
applicable
What is reasonable for one family is not applicable for another.
pertinent
She had asked some pertinent questions.
befitting
well-suited
well-timed
apposite
Recent events have made his central theme even more apposite.
apropos
Having scarcely joined in the conversation before, it was not apropos to do it now.
opportune (formal)
I have arrived at a very opportune moment.
becoming
This behaviour is not becoming among our politicians.
seemly
It wasn't seemly for them to be seen together.
felicitous
Her speech was not at all felicitous.
germane
the suppression of documents which were germane to the case
to the purpose
appurtenant
congruous
meet (archaic)
Opposites
irrelevant
,
inappropriate
,
incorrect
,
unfitting
,
unsuitable
,
improper
,
incompatible
,
untimely
,
inopportune
1 (verb)
Definition
to take for one's own use without permission
Several other newspapers have appropriated the idea.
Synonyms
seize
Police were reported to have seized all copies of the newspaper.
take
claim
assume
If there is no president, power will be assumed by extremist forces.
take over
acquire
She has acquired a 50% stake in the company.
confiscate
They confiscated weapons, ammunition and propaganda material.
annex
Rome annexed the Nabatean kingdom in 106 AD.
usurp
Did she usurp his place in his mother's heart?
impound
The police arrested him and impounded the cocaine.
pre-empt
The French government has the right to pre-empt a piece sold at auction.
commandeer
The soldiers commandeered vehicles in the capital.
take possession of
Earl had taken possession of the gun.
expropriate (formal)
The Bolsheviks expropriated the property of the landowners.
arrogate
He arrogated the privilege to himself alone.
Opposites
give
,
relinquish
,
cede
2 (verb)
Definition
to put (money) aside for a particular purpose
He is sceptical that Congress will appropriate more money for this.
Synonyms
allocate
Tickets will be allocated to those who apply first.
allow
Please allow 28 days for delivery.
budget
I'm learning how to budget my finances.
devote
He decided to devote the rest of his life to music.
assign
Later in the year, she'll assign them research papers.
designate
Some of the rooms were designated as offices.
set aside
earmark
Extra money has been earmarked for the new projects.
allot
We were allotted half an hour to address the committee.
share out
apportion
They are even-handed in apportioning the blame.
Opposites
withhold
3 (verb)
Definition
to take for one's own use without permission
What do they think about your appropriating their music and culture?
Synonyms
steal
Anybody could walk in here and steal stuff.
take
The burglars took just about anything they could carry.
nick (slang, mainly British)
We used to nick biscuits from the kitchen.
pocket
He pocketed some coins he found on the street.
trouser (slang)
pinch (informal)
pickpockets who pinched his wallet
pirate
pirating copies of music tapes
poach
allegations that it had poached members from other unions
swipe (slang)
People kept trying to swipe my copy of the New York Times.
lift (informal)
a cartoonish device lifted from a Laurel and Hardy sequence
knock off (slang)
heist (US, slang)
embezzle
The director embezzled $34 million in company funds.
blag (slang)
pilfer
Staff were pilfering cash from the bar.
misappropriate
I have not misappropriated any funds whatsoever.
snitch (slang)
purloin
He was caught purloining books from the library.
filch
I filched some notes from his wallet.
plagiarize
He was accused of plagiarizing copyrighted material.
thieve
These people can't help thieving.
peculate (literary)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of acquire
Definition
to get or develop (something such as an object, trait, or ability)
She has acquired a 50% stake in the company.
Synonyms
get,
win,
buy,
receive,
land (informal),
score (slang),
gain,
achieve,
earn,
pick up,
bag,
secure,
collect,
gather,
realize,
obtain,
attain,
amass,
procure,
come into possession of
in the sense of allot
Definition
to assign as a share or for a particular purpose
We were allotted half an hour to address the committee.