<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-03-04</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000006951</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>APPLIED MATERIALS INC /DE</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AMAT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001024251</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ROGERS JAMES E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>3050 BOWERS AV, M/S 1268 P.O. BOX 58039</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANTA CLARA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95054</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-03-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10615</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>141391.178</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents automatic annual grant of restricted stock units to non-employee member of the Board of Directors pursuant to the Applied Materials, Inc. (&quot;Applied&quot;) Employee Stock Incentive Plan. These restricted stock units will be converted on a one-for-one basis into shares of Applied common stock upon vesting, which vesting is scheduled to occur on March 1, 2015 (subject to accelerated vesting as of three trading days prior to the closing of the transactions contemplated in connection with the business combination agreement, dated September 24, 2013, between Applied and Tokyo Electron Limited, as amended, and continued service as a director through the vest date).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Number of shares includes 81,845 restricted stock units previously reported, of which (a) 78,678 units have vested and which, pursuant to Mr. Rogers' election to defer, will be converted on a one-for-one basis into shares of Applied common stock and paid to him on the date of his termination of service as a member of the Applied Board and (b) 3,167 units are scheduled to vest in March 2015 and which, pursuant to Mr. Rogers' election to defer, will be converted on a one-for-one basis into shares of Applied common stock and paid to him on the date of his termination of service from the Applied Board (subject to accelerated vesting described in footnote 1 and  continued service as a director through the vest date).</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Harpreet S. Bal, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-03-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
