adapt

verb

ə-ˈdapt 

a-

adapted; adapting; adapts

transitive verb

: to make fit (as for a new use) often by modification

adapt the curriculum to students' needs

intransitive verb

: to become adapted

adapt to a new environment

Did you know?

"Nothing in this world is as reliable as change" is a common aphorism and one we can certainly attest to as lexicographers. English speakers adapted adapt, for example, in the 15th century from the Middle French adapter, which was itself an adaptation of Latin adaptāre. That source traces back to Latin aptus, meaning "fit" or "apt." Other adaptations of aptus in English include aptitude, inept, and of course apt itself, as well as unapt and inapt.

Synonyms

• acclimate
• acclimatize
• accommodate
• adjust
• condition
• conform
• doctor
• edit
• fashion
• fit
• put
• shape
• suit
• tailor

Choose the Right Synonym for adapt

adapt, adjust, accommodate, conform, reconcile mean to bring one thing into correspondence with another.

adapt implies a modification according to changing circumstances.

adapted themselves to the warmer climate

adjust suggests bringing into a close and exact correspondence or harmony such as exists between parts of a mechanism.

adjusted the budget to allow for inflation

accommodate may suggest yielding or compromising to effect a correspondence.

businesses accommodating themselves to the new political reality

conform applies to bringing into accordance with a pattern, example, or principle.

refused to conform to society's values

reconcile implies the demonstration of the underlying compatibility of things that seem to be incompatible.

tried to reconcile what he said with what I knew

Examples of adapt in a Sentence

When children go to a different school, it usually takes them a while to adapt.

She has adapted herself to college life quite easily.

The camera has been adapted for underwater use.

The clock was adapted to run on batteries.

The movie was adapted from the book of the same title.

adapting the movie for television

Recent Examples on the Web

Smucker may start to make changes to some of its food brands to adapt to more people taking GLP-1 medications and any changes in their diets. —Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 28 Nov. 2024

Their strength lies not in provable accuracy, but in their ability to combine diverse perspectives and quickly adapt to new information, expressing this collective knowledge in a single, clear metric - the probability of an event. —Andrey Sergeenkov, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

Gisele Bündchen’s life is looking very different these days, and that means Tom Brady is going to have to adapt as well. —Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 27 Nov. 2024

By providing unrestricted funding, supporters enable these organizations to adapt to community needs, innovate in their programming, and continue their essential work in enriching society's fabric. —Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English adapted (as translation of Latin adaptātus), borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French adapter, borrowed from Latin adaptāre, from ad- ad- + aptāre "to put into position, bring to bear, make ready," verbal derivative of aptus "fastened, prepared, suitable" — more at apt entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

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Kids Definition

adapt

verb

ə-ˈdapt 

: to make or become suitable

especially : to change so as to fit a new or specific use or situation

adapt to life in a new school

adapt the novel for children

adaptability

-ˌdap-tə-ˈbil-ət-ē

noun

adaptable

-ˈdap-tə-bəl

adjective

Etymology

from French adapter and Latin adaptare, both meaning "to adapt," from Latin ad- "to" and aptus "apt, fit" — related to apt

Medical Definition

adapt

transitive verb

ə-ˈdapt 

: to make fit (as for a specific or new use or situation) often by modification

adapted himself to the new position

intransitive verb

: to become adapted : undergo adaptation