Applying is the act of putting something into operation or use, or the process of submitting an application. It functions as a present participle form of the verb “apply,” often forming adjectives and gerunds in various tenses. In pronunciation, it is typically stressed on the second syllable, forming a smooth, two-beat rhythm when spoken in natural pace.
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"She’s applying for a scholarship this week."
"The dye is applying evenly across the fabric."
"He’s applying the final touches to his report."
"Applying pressure gently helps the plant heal after trimming."
The word applying derives from the verb apply, which comes from the Latin applicare, formed from ad- ‘toward’ + plicare ‘fold, bend’ (to fold toward). The sense progression shifts from “to place in contact with, attach” to “to dedicate or devote” and finally to the general sense of “to make use of” or “to submit a request.” In English, suffit forms appeared by the Middle English period, with -ing participles common as gerunds and adjectives. Over time, applying specifically emerged as the present participle used to describe ongoing action (applying makeup, applying a method) and as part of compound expressions (applying for a job). First known uses surface in legal and trade contexts where documents or substances are “applying” to surfaces or to processes, reinforcing the sense of ongoing action or submission. The pronunciation and stress patterns stabilized in modern English, with the primary stress shifting to the second syllable in many common phrasal uses (ap-PLY-ing) as a natural consequence of English stress rules and suffixation. The evolution reflects broader tendencies in English to derive gerunds from verbs and to leverage -ing forms as independent nouns or adjectives in complex predicates.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "applying" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "applying" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "applying"
-ing sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as ə-PLY-ing with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU: əˈplaɪ.ɪŋ. Begin with a schwa, then the diphthong /aɪ/ in the second syllable, and finish with a light, nasal -ing. The lips start neutral, then the /p/ is a bilabial plosive, followed by /l/ with a touching tongue against the alveolar ridge, and finally the /j/ before the final /ɪŋ/. In connected speech, the first syllable can be reduced to a quick schwa, so you might hear it as uh-PLY-ing.
Two common errors: (1) misplacing primary stress as on the first syllable (A-pplying) leading to a flat rhythm; (2) pronouncing the second syllable as /iː/ or /ɪ/ without the proper /aɪ/ diphthong. Correction: keep the /aɪ/ diphthong in the second syllable, emphasize the /plaɪ/ cluster with a clear y-sound, and ensure the final -ing is a soft nasal -ɪŋ rather than a silent or heavily pronounced -ŋ. Practice with emphasis: /əˈplaɪ.ɪŋ/ and slow it to avoid vowel merger.
In US, UK, and AU, the core /əˈplaɪ.ɪŋ/ stays, but rhotics and vowel qualities shift slightly. US tends to be rhotic with a clearer /r/ only if followed by a vowel; for applying, the /ɹ/ is not present, but US pronunciation emphasizes the second syllable’s /aɪ/ more distinctly and may reduce the first vowel. UK and AU keep similar /ə/ initial with less rhotic diffusion in casual speech; AU often demonstrates a more centralized vowel in the first syllable and a slightly tighter /ɪ/ at the end. Still, the /aɪ/ in -ply- remains prominent across accents.
Key challenges are the /aɪ/ diphthong in the second syllable and the /pl/ cluster after a weak initial vowel. The sequence /ə-ˈplaɪ-/ requires a quick transition from a neutral schwa to a bold /aɪ/, followed by a consonant cluster /pl/ that demands precise tongue positioning: lips compress for /p/, then the tongue touches the alveolar ridge for /l/ before gliding into /j/ and finally the nasal /ŋ/. Coordination of syllable-stress timing is essential to prevent the word from sounding clipped or slurred.
Tip: treat the second syllable as the anchor. Practice the /aɪ/ diphthong with a strong, controlled glide into /ɪŋ/ without delaying the final nasal. Focus on the transition from /ɪ/ to /ŋ/, ensuring the /ŋ/ is clean and not swallowed. Visualize the mouth shape: lips neutral for the first syllable, rounded and open for /aɪ/, then a light, relaxed finish with the /ŋ/. This helps prevent a too-closed /i/ or an exaggerated /ŋ/.
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