apparatus

[ap-uh-rat-uhs, -rey-tuhs] / ˌæp əˈræt əs, -ˈreɪ təs /

NOUN

equipment with a purpose

Synonyms

STRONGEST

appliance device gear gizmo machine machinery means mechanism

STRONG

accoutrement contraption dingbat doodad doohickey furnishings gaff gimcrack gimmick grabber habiliments implement jigger job outfit paraphernalia provisions setup stuff supplies tackle thingamajig tools utensils whatchamacallit whatsis widget

WEAK

black box idiot box whosis

NOUN

organization or system

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bureaucracy hierarchy network structure

STRONG

setup

WEAK

chain of command

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Once Kansas City police have trained counterdrone personnel and installed detection equipment for soccer matches at Arrowhead Stadium, that capability does not disappear — it becomes part of the local security apparatus.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

Iran’s sprawling security apparatus isn’t solely held together by ideology.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

And the apparatus that Cooke built to sell those bonds—a network of thousands of agents throughout the U.S. and Europe—became the blueprint for the modern investment bank.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Dyszel built frames for neutron tracking detectors and assembled them within the experimental apparatus.

From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026

I cried and jumped back, almost overturning the whole apparatus.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

Vocabulary lists containing apparatus

Orbiting Jupiter

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Among the Hidden

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The Time Machine

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