"applied for" vs "applied on"

Question

"applied for" vs "applied on"

Both "applied on" and "applied for" are commonly used phrases in English, but they are used in different contexts. "Applied on" is used when referring to the application of a substance or material onto a surface, while "applied for" is used when referring to the act of submitting an application for something, such as a job or a permit.

Last Updated: March 15, 2024

Use "applied for" when describing the action of submitting an application for something. For example, "She applied for a job at the company."

Examples:

He applied for a visa to travel to the United States.
She applied for a scholarship to study abroad.
They applied for a building permit to start construction.
I applied for a credit card online.
The students applied for admission to the university.

Alternatives:

submitted an application for
requested
sought
put in for
asked for

Use "applied on" when describing the action of putting a substance or material onto a surface. For example, "The paint was applied on the wall."

Examples:

The cream should be applied on the affected area.
The sticker was applied on the back of the book.
The makeup was applied on her face.
The protective coating was applied on the metal surface.
The glue was applied on the paper.

Alternatives:

put on
spread on
placed on
covered with
administered on

Answer 1

applied for

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English when referring to the act of submitting an application for something, such as a job or a permit.

Answer 2

applied on

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English when referring to the application of a substance or material onto a surface.

"applied for" vs "applied on"

applied for

applied on

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