applications

noun

plural of application
as in uses
the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose fixing a snag in panty hose is not the intended application of nail polish, but it's a handy one

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of applications New applications for unemployment benefits, for example, continued to hover at historically low levels last week, according to a separate report from the Labor Department. — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 30 July 2026 In applications like video calls, Xittel and Starlink’s round-trip signal delays became painfully obvious. — IEEE Spectrum, 30 July 2026 Analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet forecast 207,000 new applications. — ABC News, 30 July 2026 Soumik Ghosh, a PhD student in Fefferman’s group at the University of Chicago, said better verification could help support practical applications for future quantum computers. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 July 2026 Michael Valverde, a former USCIS top official who worked for several years in the department that oversaw asylum applications, said the affirmative asylum program was largely built around these interviews. — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 30 July 2026 These innovations signal a shift from robotic spectacle to practical, everyday applications, emphasizing collaboration, accessibility, and human-robot comfort as robots integrate into our lives. — Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 24 July 2026 Williams particularly loves them for applications where durability matters, such as bridal makeup or television and film. — Marci Robin, Allure, 24 July 2026 And other severe diseases caused by AGEs, like atherosclerosis, will have research priority over cosmetic applications. — Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for applications
  1. uses
  2. exercises
  3. usages
  4. operations
Noun
  • The Dirties includes a scene where Johnson’s out-of-touch high-school character is in blackface, while the Nirvanna web series has bits that carelessly chase juvenile provocation, including stray uses of racial accents and slurs.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 July 2026
  • State laws now require police departments to release more information about officer misconduct and cases that involve serious uses of force.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Definition of uses
Noun
  • The exercises are designed to help Davis’ first responders improve coordination and cooperation during critical incidents.
    — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026
  • Rogers previously served in a space aggressors unit in the US Air Force, taking up against US space operators in war game and military exercises.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 30 July 2026
Definition of exercises
Noun
  • Save the most expensive ones for the most critical and revenue-generating usages.
    — Nisha Talagala, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Pitch-calling from the dugout may be at the center of this battle and is one of the usages the league appears to be targeting.
    — Eno Sarris, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of usages
Noun
  • Senators are tasked with reviewing laws passed more than a decade ago that exempt certain data centers from paying sales taxes on goods that are essential to their operations.
    — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 July 2026
  • Props to new president of basketball operations in Mike Gansey, who was not only able to pry the 2024 NBA Finals MVP from a hated rival, but also had the roster in a good enough position to land one of the greatest players in history.
    — Rob Peterson, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of operations

Browse Nearby Words

application
applications
applicative
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Applications.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/applications. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on applications

Nglish: Translation of applications for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of spindrift

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All