adapt

/əˈdæpt/

Say it: uh-DAPT

1. verb To change your behavior or ideas to be successful in a new situation.
He found it difficult to adapt to the new corporate culture.
2. verb To change something to make it suitable for a new use or purpose.
The teachers adapted the curriculum for students with learning disabilities.
3. verb To change over a long period of time to become better suited to an environment.
Over millions of years, these plants have adapted to thrive in the desert.

📖 Seen in the wild

Many animals have learned to adapt to changing environmental conditions.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ adapt in a sentence

The company was praised for its ability to adapt to changing market conditions.
Many classic novels have been adapted for the screen, with varying degrees of success.
When you move to a new country, you have to adapt to a different way of life.
The chameleon's ability to adapt its skin color for camouflage is a marvel of nature.
We had to quickly adapt our strategy when the main competitor launched a new product.
The old building was adapted for use as a community arts center.
Athletes must constantly adapt their training regimens to improve performance.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

adjust modify acclimate conform alter tailor accommodate accustom

adjust · suggests making minor changes for a better fit or result.

modify · implies altering some parts of a thing, often without changing its core nature.

acclimate · refers specifically to getting used to a new climate or environment.

conform · emphasizes changing to match a standard or the behavior of others.

Opposites: preserve, maintain, resist, reject, stagnate

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'adapt' traveled from Latin to English through French. It comes from the Latin 'adaptāre', which neatly combines 'ad-', meaning 'to', and 'aptāre', meaning 'to fit'. So, at its core, adapting has always been about fitting one thing 'to' another.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

adapt to changeadapt a novel for the screenquickly adapt towell adapted fordifficult to adapt

The most common point of confusion is between 'adapt' and 'adopt'. To adapt is to change something to make it suitable (you adapt a plan). To adopt is to take something on as your own (you adopt a plan). Remember the prepositions: you adapt *to* a situation, while you simply adopt a new policy. The distinction is between changing something and choosing something.

Word family: adaptation, adapter, adaptable, adaptive, adaptability

💬 Quick answers

What does 'adapt' mean?

To adapt means to change something, or to change your own behavior, to make it suitable for a new purpose, situation, or environment.

What is the difference between 'adapt' and 'adopt'?

To 'adapt' is to change something to fit a new situation. To 'adopt' is to take something on as your own, like adopting a new policy or a pet. You adapt *to* a new system; you adopt a new system.

What is an example of adapting?

A biological example is a cactus adapting to store water in a dry climate. A human example is learning a new software program when your company changes its systems.

Is 'adapt' a formal word?

'Adapt' is a neutral word. It is perfectly suitable for formal contexts like scientific papers as well as for informal, everyday conversation.

1 word nerd collected it V

Want "adapt" to actually stick?

Save it to your own vault, let AI explain it, practice till it's yours.

Start for free →