ENGLISH
REFERENCE

applies

v.
B1 Intermediate US //əˈpɫaɪz// UK //ɐplˈaɪz// ap·plies

v. to be relevant to a person or situation. You use this when a rule, a law, or a piece of information is true for someone.

v. to be relevant or applicable to a particular person, group, or situation. Intransitive when used with the preposition 'to'.


SIMPLE

This rule applies to everyone in the building.

CONTEXTUAL

The discount only applies to customers who have a membership card and spend over fifty dollars.

COMPLEX

While the new safety regulations were designed for industrial sites, the inspector noted that the same logic applies to smaller workshops where similar machinery is operated.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

When meaning 'to be relevant', the verb is intransitive and requires the preposition 'to' before the object.

Pitfall

The law applies everyoneThe law applies to everyoneIn the sense of being relevant, the verb must be followed by the preposition 'to'.

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