Apple — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈa-pəl/ ap·ple

Meaning & Definition of Apple

Apple (noun)

  1. the fleshy, usually rounded red, yellow, or green edible pome fruit of a usually cultivated tree (genus Malus) of the rose family; also, an apple tree
  2. a fruit (such as a star apple) or other vegetative growth (such as an oak apple) suggestive of an apple

Apple (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior

    "a departmental supervisor who apple-polishes shamelessly whenever higher-ups are about"

    similar: bootlick, fawn, fuss, kowtow, suck (up), toady, truckle, curry favor, kiss up to
    related: drool, gush, slaver, slobber, endear, ingratiate, court, woo, adulate, idolize, worship, blandish, cajole, coax, flatter, overpraise, soft-soap, cower, cringe, grovel, abase, debase, demean, defer, submit, yield
    near: despise, disdain, scorn, gibe, jeer, scoff, brave, challenge, defy

  2. to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior

    "a departmental supervisor who apple-polishes shamelessly whenever higher-ups are about"

    similar: bootlicked, fawned, fussed, kowtowed, sucked (up), toadied, truckled, curried favor, kissed up to
    related: drooled, gushed, slavered, slobbered, endeared, ingratiated, courted, wooed, adulated, idolized, worshipped, blandished, cajoled, coaxed, flattered, overpraised, soft-soaped, cowered, cringed, groveled, abased, debased, demeaned, deferred, submitted, yielded
    near: despised, disdained, scorned, gibed, jeered, scoffed, braved, challenged, defied

  3. to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior

    "a departmental supervisor who apple-polishes shamelessly whenever higher-ups are about"

    similar: bootlicks, fawns, fusses, kowtows, sucks (up), toadies, truckles, curries favor, kisses up to
    related: drools, gushes, slavers, slobbers, endears, ingratiates, courts, woos, adulates, idolizes, worships, blandishes, cajoles, coaxes, flatters, overpraises, soft-soaps, cowers, cringes, grovels, abases, debases, demeans, defers, submits, yields
    near: despises, disdains, scorns, gibes, jeers, scoffs, braves, challenges, defies

  4. to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior

    "a departmental supervisor who apple-polishes shamelessly whenever higher-ups are about"

    similar: bootlicking, fawning, fussing, kowtowing, sucking (up), toadying, truckling, currying favor, kissing up to
    related: drooling, gushing, slavering, slobbering, endearing, ingratiating, courting, wooing, adulating, idolizing, worshipping, blandishing, cajoling, coaxing, flattering, overpraising, soft-soaping, cowering, cringing, groveling, abasing, debasing, demeaning, deferring, submitting, yielding
    near: despising, disdaining, scorning, gibing, jeering, scoffing, braving, challenging, defying

  5. to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy

    "the smallest things can upset us if we're already stressed"

    similar: agitate, ail, alarm, bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, disturb, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, weird out, worry
    related: aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy, exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex, bedevil, haunt, plague, abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerve
    opposite: calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize
    near: allay, alleviate, assuage, appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate

  6. to turn on one's side or upside down

    "the narrow boat upsets easily and should be handled with care"

    similar: capsize, overturn, turn over, turn turtle
    related: invert, overset, overthrow, pitchpole, topple, tump (over) (chiefly Southern), upend, careen, heel, keel, lean, list, tilt, tip, collapse, fall, founder, give
    opposite: right
    near: stand up, straighten (up), erect, raise

  7. to undo the proper order or arrangement of

    "the change in the bus schedule upset our daily routine"

    similar: confuse, derange, disarrange, disarray, discompose, dishevel, disjoint, dislocate, disorder, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, hash, jumble, mess (up), mix (up), muddle, muss, rumple, scramble, shuffle, tousle, tumble
    related: embroil, entangle, snarl, tangle, agitate, perturb, stir (up), unsettle, clutter
    opposite: arrange, array, dispose, draw up, marshal, order, organize, range, regulate, straighten (up), tidy
    near: align, line, line up, queue, classify, codify, methodize, systematize, systemize, adjust, fix, groom, make up, spruce (up), unscramble

Apple (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person who flatters another in order to get ahead

    "a transparent apple-polisher whose fulsome praise fooled no one"

    similar: bootlicker, brownnoser, fawner, flunky, lickspittle, suck-up, sycophant, toady
    related: yes-man, apparatchik, company man, hanger-on, leech, parasite, sponge, sponger, henchman, lackey, lapdog, minion, running dog, satellite, slave, stooge, admirer, cultist, devotee, enthusiast, fan, groveler, idolater, worshipper, zealot, adherent, camp follower, convert, disciple, follower, me-tooer, partisan, pupil, votary

  2. a person who flatters another in order to get ahead

    "a transparent apple-polisher whose fulsome praise fooled no one"

    similar: bootlickers, brownnosers, fawners, flunkies, lickspittles, suck-ups, sycophants, toadies
    related: yes-men, apparatchiks, company men, hangers-on, leeches, parasites, spongers, sponges, henchmen, lackeys, lapdogs, minions, running dogs, satellites, slaves, stooges, admirers, cultists, devotees, enthusiasts, fans, grovelers, idolaters, worshippers, zealots, adherents, camp followers, converts, disciples, followers, me-tooers, partisans, pupils, votaries

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Apple

The most common words with a similar meaning to Apple:

bootlick, fawn, fuss, kowtow, suck (up), toady, truckle, curry favor, kiss up to, bootlicker, brownnoser, fawner, flunky, lickspittle, suck-up, sycophant, bootlicked, fawned, fussed, kowtowed, sucked (up), toadied, truckled, curried favor, kissed up to, bootlickers, brownnosers, fawners, flunkies, lickspittles, suck-ups, sycophants, toadies, bootlicks, fawns, fusses, kowtows, sucks (up), truckles, curries favor

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Apple

Words with the opposite meaning of Apple:

calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize, right, arrange, array, dispose, draw up, marshal, order, organize, range, regulate, straighten (up), tidy

Related Words for Apple

drool, gush, slaver, slobber, endear, ingratiate, court, woo, adulate, idolize, worship, blandish, cajole, coax, flatter, overpraise, soft-soap, cower, cringe, grovel, abase, debase, demean, defer, submit, yield, yes-man, apparatchik, company man, hanger-on

Near Antonyms of Apple

despise, disdain, scorn, gibe, jeer, scoff, brave, challenge, defy, despised, disdained, scorned, gibed, jeered, scoffed, braved, challenged, defied, despises, disdains, scorns, gibes, jeers, scoffs, braves, challenges, defies, despising, disdaining, scorning

Origin & Etymology of Apple

Middle English appel, from Old English æppel; akin to Old High German apful apple, Old Irish ubull, Old Church Slavic ablŭko

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Apple

Words & Phrases Containing Apple

apple butter, apple-cheeked, apple-knocker, apple maggot, apple of one's eye, apple-pie, apple-polish, apple scab

Frequently Asked Questions about Apple

What does "Apple" mean?

"Apple" means the fleshy, usually rounded red, yellow, or green edible pome fruit of a usually cultivated tree (genus Malus) of the rose family; also, an apple tree. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: the fleshy, usually rounded red, yellow, or green edible pome fruit of a usually cultivated tree (genus Malus) of the rose family; also, an apple tree. It has 9 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Apple"?

Other words for "Apple" include bootlick, fawn, fuss, kowtow, suck (up), toady, truckle and curry favor. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Apple" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Apple"?

There are 341 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Apple". Common alternatives include bootlick, fawn, fuss, kowtow, suck (up), toady, truckle, curry favor, kiss up to and bootlicker.

What is the opposite of "Apple"?

Antonyms of "Apple" include calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize, right and arrange. Near antonyms include despise, disdain, scorn and gibe.

How do you use "Apple" in a sentence?

Examples of "Apple" in a sentence: "a departmental supervisor who apple-polishes shamelessly whenever higher-ups are about"; "a departmental supervisor who apple-polishes shamelessly whenever higher-ups are about"; "a departmental supervisor who apple-polishes shamelessly whenever higher-ups are about".

Is "Apple" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Apple" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Apple" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Apple" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Apple"?

"Apple" is pronounced /ˈa-pəl/ and divided into syllables as ap·ple.