as in to buckle (down)
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for apply (oneself)
Verb
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China has pitched in on Pakistan’s efforts to mediate and recently called for a comprehensive ceasefire.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
13 May 2026 -
Minds behind the project hope this new development will serve as yet another way that people can pitch in to address a large affordable housing shortage and prevalent homelessness in KCK, a city that has lacked a year-round homeless shelter despite officials’ plans to build one.—
Tammy Ljungblad,
Kansas City Star,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Bring the skillet to the table for everyone to dig in.—
Victoria Spencer,
Martha Stewart,
12 May 2026
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If both sides now dig in, the ensuing fight could threaten the 2027 season.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Magadan had a deadly reputation in the Stalin era, as a hub for Gulag mines where political prisoners slaved sometimes to death and produced gold and other minerals in the process.—
Ian Frazier,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
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Po’s journey begins while slaving away at his boring noodle job on the day the Dragon Warrior is to be chosen.—
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Teams will use the five-week gap between the races in Japan and Miami to knuckle down at their factories and develop car upgrades that could boost their fortunes upon returning to the track in May.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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In survival mode, many brands have been forced to knuckle down and fortify their business strategies, in hopes of setting them up for success against a difficult backdrop.—
Madeleine Schulz,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kreider, who dealt with injuries last season with the New York Rangers, has labored.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
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When Cale Makar was clearly laboring in the final couple of games of this series, Kulak and Brent Burns were outstanding.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Blow-dry bangs away from the face with a round brush or Velcro rollers for effortless-looking volume.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
7 Apr. 2026
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Brian Cashman gets it all the time, but good, from Yankee fans; for them, banging away at Cashman on social media feels like the real national pastime.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The two finished atop a crowded field that also featured Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who both struggled to break through in a GOP contest overshadowed by the feud between the two front-runners.—
Greg Bluestein,
AJC.com,
20 May 2026
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Mergers might encourage other states to offer similar programs as a way of funnelling more students into struggling four-year campuses.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
19 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Apply (oneself).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apply%20%28oneself%29. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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