acclimate
Americanverb (used with or without object)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have acclimatedperfect
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has acclimatedperfect 3rd person singular
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am acclimatingprogressive 1st person singular
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is acclimatingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been acclimatingperfect progressive
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acclimatessingular 3rd person
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has been acclimatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are acclimatingprogressive
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acclimatingparticiple
Past
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had acclimatedperfect
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had been acclimatingperfect progressive
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was acclimatingprogressive singular
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were acclimatingprogressive plural
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acclimatedsimple
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acclimatedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of acclimate
From the French word acclimater, dating back to 1785–95; see ac-, climate
Explanation
When you acclimate yourself to a situation, you become used to it. It usually means getting accustomed to a particular new climate, but it can also mean getting used to other situations, such as a new school. The word climate in the word acclimate should give you a clue as to the word's meaning: to get used to a specific climate. Nature allows the human body to acclimate itself to various weather conditions. For example, people moving to higher altitudes will develop more red blood cells in order to absorb oxygen better. This is their bodies' way of acclimating to the thinner air. It takes a while for the body to become acclimated to a new climate.
Vocabulary lists containing acclimate
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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A Polar "Vortex" and a "Mercurial" Basketball Star: Ten Words in the News You Need to Know
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The Last Lecture
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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.
He had yet to acclimate to his new neighborhood when he was arrested last year in a misunderstanding with the police.
From Slate • Mar. 19, 2026
There is a lot of turnover, because new hires who don’t acclimate don’t last long.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026
After agreeing to work with Stolz, Corby didn’t bother trying to acclimate himself to the current training methodology.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026
He initially struggled to acclimate in a nation he hasn’t lived in since he was a child, but said Thursday night that his mental state — and his Korean language skills — have improved.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2025
She helped Enoch acclimate to living in the big city, since the noise, the buildings, the vehicles, and the people were all new to him.
From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
