adjustment

[uh-juhst-muhnt]

noun

1. the act of adjusting; adaptation to a particular condition, position, or purpose.

2. the state of being adjusted; adjusted; orderly relation of parts or elements.

3. a device, as a knob or lever, for adjusting.

   the adjustments on a television set.

4. the act of bringing something into conformity with external requirements.

   the adjustment of one's view of reality.

5. harmony achieved by modification or change of a position.

   They worked out an adjustment of their conflicting ideas.

6. Sociology.,  a process of modifying, adapting, or altering individual or collective patterns of behavior so as to bring them into conformity with other such patterns, as with those provided by a cultural environment.

7. Insurance.,  the act of ascertaining the amount of indemnity that the party insured is entitled to receive under the policy, and of settling the claim.

8. a settlement of a disputed account or claim.

9. a change or concession, as in price or other terms, in view of minor defect or the like.

adjustment

/ əˈdʒʌstmənt /

noun

1. the act of adjusting or state of being adjusted

2. a control for regulating

   the adjustment for volume is beside the speaker

Other Word Forms

• adjustmental adjective
• misadjustment noun
• nonadjustment noun
• overadjustment noun
• preadjustment noun
• underadjustment noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of adjustment¹

First recorded in 1635–45; adjust + -ment

Example Sentences

Lilly said prices were hurt by one-time adjustments to estimates for rebates and discounts a year ago.

Read more on MarketWatch

That challenge inspired him to build a faster, more flexible solution that could handle such adjustments in hours rather than days.

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The Wall Street Journal spoke with five young investors who told us about their investments and what adjustments, if any, they’ve made in recent months.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In classrooms, for instance, simple adjustments such as placing a student closer to the front or providing hearing-assistive tools could make communication easier.

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Shortly after the announcement from Bucharest, a Nato official stressed that Washington's commitment to the Nato alliance remained "clear" and adjustments were "not unusual".

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Related Words

• alteration 
• arrangement 
• improvement 
• modification 
• readjustment 
• regulation