accommodate

American  

[uh-kom-uh-deyt] / əˈkɒm əˌdeɪt /

verb (used with object)

accommodated, accommodating

1. to do a kindness or a favor to; oblige.

   to accommodate a friend by helping him move to a new apartment.

   Synonyms:

   abet, help, assist, aid, serve

   Antonyms:

   inconvenience

2. to provide suitably; supply (usually followed bywith ).

   The officials were accommodated with seats toward the front of the room.

3. to lend money to.

   Can you accommodate him, or are you short of cash?

4. to provide with a room and sometimes with food.

5. to furnish with accommodations, as food and lodgings.

6. to have or make room for.

   Will this elevator accommodate 10 people?

7. to make suitable or consistent; adapt.

   to accommodate oneself to circumstances.

   Synonyms:

   suit, fit

8. to bring into harmony or make adjustments or allowances for.

   to accommodate differences;

   to accommodate your busy schedule.

   Synonyms:

   harmonize, compose

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verb (used without object)

accommodated, accommodating

1. to become adjusted or adapted.

2. to become reconciled; agree.

accommodate British  

/ əˈkɒməˌdeɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to supply or provide, esp with lodging or board and lodging

2. (tr) to oblige or do a favour for

3. to adjust or become adjusted; adapt

4. (tr) to bring into harmony; reconcile

5. (tr) to allow room for; contain

6. (tr) to lend money to, esp on a temporary basis until a formal loan has been arranged

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Usage

What does accommodate mean? To accommodate someone is to do them a favor or meet their needs or wants in some way, as in You don’t have to accommodate everyone all the time—sometimes the answer should be no. To accommodate a request is to honor it—to do what has been asked, as in They were kind enough to accommodate my special requests. The adjective accommodating means eager or willing to help or please in this way. Accommodate can also mean to make or have room for, as in This bus can accommodate up to 50 passengers. Similarly, accommodate can mean to provide someone with a place to stay, as in Unfortunately the hotel was not able to accommodate us—all the rooms were reserved. The related term accommodation is often used in this context, especially in relation to hotels rooms or other temporary lodging. In this case, it is often used in the plural, as in What are the accommodations like?Accommodation is also commonly used in a general way referring to the act of accommodating. This can be used in any of the senses of the word. Example: We’ve extended our hours to better accommodate our customers.​

Related Words

See oblige. See contain.

Other Word Forms

• accommodable adjective
• accommodative adjective
• nonaccommodable adjective
• preaccommodate verb (used with object)
• reaccommodate verb
• unaccommodable adjective
• underaccommodated adjective
• well-accommodated adjective

Etymology

Origin of accommodate

First recorded in 1515–25; from Latin accommodātus “adjusted,” past participle of accommodāre “to adjust,” from ac- ac- + commod(us) “convenient, fitting, suitable” ( com-, mode )

Explanation

If you accommodate, you are making an adjustment to suit a particular purpose. If you accommodate your brother's demand for the attic room, then you give in and let him take over that space. Accommodate entered English in the mid-16th century from the Latin word accommodat-, meaning "made fitting." Whether it refers to changing something to suit someone's wishes or providing someone with something he needs, accommodate typically involves making something fit. You might change your lunch plans, for example, to accommodate your best friend's schedule. Accommodate can also refer to providing housing or having enough space for something. You might need to open up the extra bedroom to accommodate your out-of-town guests.

Example Sentences

Freiha said the change was to accommodate the afternoon crowd, which tends to arrive in groups and wants a place to socialize.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

If treated with care, the site could happily accommodate greater density and more-meaningful engagement with the public.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Until recently, that technology didn’t have the ability to accommodate loans that were higher than five figures.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

So although England teams in the past have got into trouble moving players around to accommodate individuals, I would start with Rogers wide, with Bellingham inside the Villa forward.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

My dad, who’d recently traded in his car for a specialized van to accommodate his disability, still made a point of showing up in his cousins’ doorways as often as possible for in-person visits.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Related Words

• contain
• entertain
• hold
• rent
• shelter
• take in
• welcome