apply

/əˈplaɪ/

//əˈplaɪ// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"apply" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“apply” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,624 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#1,624
frequency rank, English
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
11
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To lay or place; to put (one thing to another)

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

apply vs appt
60% similar
apply vs aptly
80% similar
apply vs App
40% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for apply
PropertyValue
Headwordapply
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/əˈplaɪ/
Letters5
Frequency rank#1,624
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs11
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “apply” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). apply lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for apply is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈplaɪ/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,624 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for apply, with forms such as "aplpy", "aply", and "applly". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 11 confusable-pair relationships, "appt", "aptly", "App", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *pel- Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ-der. Latin plicō Latin applicō Old French applierbor. Middle English aplien English apply From Middle English aplien, a… The correct English form is apply, spelled A-P-P-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    To lay or place; to put (one thing to another)
  2. 2
    To put to use; to use or employ for a particular purpose, or in a particular case
  3. 3
    To make use of, declare, or pronounce, as suitable, fitting, or relevant.
  4. 4
    To put closely; to join; to engage and employ diligently or with attention.
  5. 5
    To work diligently and attentively.
  6. 6
    To address oneself; to refer.
  7. 7
    To submit oneself as a candidate (with the adposition "to" or "at" designating the recipient of the submission, and the adposition "for" designating the position).
  8. 8
    To pertain or be relevant.
  9. 9
    To busy; to keep at work; to ply.
  10. 10
    To visit.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *pel- Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ-der. Latin plicō Latin applicō Old French applierbor. Middle English aplien English apply From Middle English aplien, applien, from Old French applier, (French appliquer), from Latin applicō (“join, fix, or attach to”); from ad + plicō (“fold, twist together”). See applicant, ply.

This word in other languages

aplicar(Español)appliquer(Français)auftragen(Deutsch)aplicar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: aplpy,aply,applly,applyy,appyl,paply

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of apply - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

aplpy2aply1applly1applyy1appyl2paply2
Edit distance from "apply"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "apply"?
"apply" is spelled A-P-P-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈplaɪ/.
What does "apply" mean?
As a verb, "apply" means: To lay or place; to put (one thing to another)
What words are commonly confused with "apply"?
"apply" is commonly confused with "appt", "aptly", "App". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "apply"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "apply" is /əˈplaɪ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "apply"?
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *pel- Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ-der. Latin plicō Latin applicō Old French applierbor. Middle English aplien English apply From Middle English... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “apply”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-P-P-L-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈplaɪ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “appt” - see the side-by-side comparison. apply vs appt
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list