appropriate

verb

(transitive) To set apart for, or assign to, a particular person or use, especially in exclusion of all others; with to or for.

(transitive) To take to oneself; to claim or use, especially as by an exclusive right.

(transitive, British, ecclesiastical, law) To annex (for example a benefice, to a spiritual corporation, as its property).

(transitive, archaic) To make suitable to; to suit.

adjective

Suitable or fit; proper; felicitous.

Suitable to the social situation or to social respect or social discreetness; socially correct; socially discreet; well-mannered; proper.

(of an action or thing) Morally good; positive.

(of an action or thing) pleasant;

(obsolete) Set apart for a particular use or person; reserved.

Roots

propriuspropri- · Latin · one's own

Synonyms for appropriate

suitableadj properadj befittingadj appositeadj condignadj fittingadj seemlyadj pertinentadj acceptableadj suitedadj opportuneadj advisableadj aproposadj relevantadj applicableadj decorousadj

Synonyms & related words for appropriate

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of appropriate — including suitable, proper, befitting, apposite, condign, fitting. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to appropriate

Explore words related to appropriate — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include convenable, adequate, condignly, appropriately, unfittingly, befittingly, inappropriate, suitably. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for appropriate

Common synonyms for appropriate include suitable, proper, befitting, apposite, condign, fitting, seemly, pertinent — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does appropriate come from?

The word appropriate breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root propri-, from Latin proprius (“one's own”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.