- the act of applying to a particular purpose or use
- relevance or value: the practical applications of space technology
- the act of asking for something
- a verbal or written request, as for a job, etc: he filed his application
- diligent effort or concentration: a job requiring application
- something, such as a healing agent or lotion, that is applied, esp to the skin
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ap•pli•ca•tion /ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃən/USA pronunciation
n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- the act of putting to a special use or purpose:[uncountable]the application of common sense.
- the use to which something is put:[countable]new applications of the technology.
- [uncountable] appropriateness;
relevance: I don't think your complaint has any application to this case. - petition;
request:[uncountable]application for admission to college. - a form to be filled out by an applicant:[countable]Fill out and sign the application.
- hard work, attention, and concentration:[uncountable]demonstrated great application to her studies.
- [countable] an act or instance of spreading or administering: an application of varnish.
- Drugs a salve, ointment, or the like, spread on or applied as a soothing or healing agent:[countable]an application for burned skin.
- Computing a special use to which a computer is put:[countable]spreadsheets and other applications.
ap•pli•ca•tion
(ap′li kā′shən),USA pronunciation n.
- the act of putting to a special use or purpose:the application of common sense to a problem.
- the special use or purpose to which something is put:a technology having numerous applications never thought of by its inventors.
- the quality of being usable for a particular purpose or in a special way;
relevance:This has no application to the case. - the act of requesting.
- a written or spoken request or appeal for employment, admission, help, funds, etc.:to file an application for admission to a university.
- a form to be filled out by an applicant, as for a job or a driver's license.
- close attention;
persistent effort:Application to one's studies is necessary. - an act or instance of spreading on, rubbing in, or bringing into contact:the application of a compress to a wound; a second application of varnish.
- Drugsa salve, ointment, or the like, applied as a soothing or healing agent.
- Computinga type of job or problem that lends itself to processing or solution by computer:Inventory control is a common business application.
- Latin applicātiōn- (stem of applicātiō), equivalent. to applicāt(us) applied (past participle of applicāre to apply) + -iōn- -ion
- Middle French)
- late Middle English applicacio(u)n (1375–1425
- 1. utilization. 3. aptitude, suitability, pertinence. 4. solicitation, petition. 7. assiduity, industry, persistence, perseverance. See effort.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
application /ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃən/ n
'application' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
aftershave lotion
- aggregator
- anaesthetics
- Android
- antic
- appeal
- applicatory
- apply
- arbitrary
- assiduity
- behavioural science
- biocomputing
- biomathematics
- biophysics
- blue-sky
- bronzing
- casuist
- cloud
- codebase
- commonplace
- computer science
- concentration
- defibrillation
- defibrillator
- demo
- demon
- derogate
- dialectics
- diligence
- diminishing returns
- dispensatory
- douche
- dye
- econometrics
- electronic ink
- embouchure
- environment
- equal
- e-voting
- excoriate
- ex parte
- Facebook
- file sharing
- fill out
- fill up
- Fisher
- flip-flop
- footprint
- form
- action painting