WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ap•pro•pri•ate /adjective: əˈproʊpriɪt; verb: -ˌeɪt/USA pronunciation
adj., v., -at•ed, -at•ing.
adj.
v. [~ + object]
ap•pro•pri•ate•ness, n. [uncountable]See -propr-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026adj.
- particularly suitable;
fitting;
correct:appropriate behavior.[be + ~ + to]remarks appropriate to the occasion.
v. [~ + object]
- Governmentto set apart for a specific purpose: appropriated funds for an environmental study.
- to take for oneself;
steal:They appropriated my ideas as their own.
ap•pro•pri•ate•ness, n. [uncountable]See -propr-.
ap•pro•pri•ate
(adj. ə prō′prē it;v. ə prō′prē āt′),USA pronunciation adj., v., -at•ed, -at•ing.
adj.
v.t.
ap•pro′pri•ate•ly, adv.
ap•pro′pri•ate•ness, n.
ap•pro′pri•a•tive
(ə prō′prē ā′tiv, -ə tiv),USA pronunciation adj.
ap•pro′pri•a′tive•ness, n.
ap•pro′pri•a′tor, n.
adj.
- suitable or fitting for a particular purpose, person, occasion, etc.:an appropriate example; an appropriate dress.
- belonging to or peculiar to a person;
proper:Each played his appropriate part.
v.t.
- Governmentto set apart, authorize, or legislate for some specific purpose or use:The legislature appropriated funds for the university.
- to take to or for oneself;
take possession of. - to take without permission or consent;
seize;
expropriate:He appropriated the trust funds for himself. - to steal, esp. to commit petty theft.
- Late Latin appropriātus made one's own (past participle of appropriāre), equivalent. to Latin ap- ap-1 + propri(us) one's own + -ātus -ate1
- 1515–25
ap•pro′pri•ate•ness, n.
ap•pro′pri•a′tor, n.
- 1. befitting, apt, meet, felicitous, suited, proper, due, becoming, pertinent. 3. apportion, allocate, assign.
- 1. unsuitable, inept.
'appropriateness' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):