Synonyms

adapt

American

[uh-dapt] / əˈdæpt /

verb (used with object)

to make suitable to requirements or conditions; adjust or modify fittingly.

They adapted themselves to the change quickly.
He adapted the novel for movies.

Synonyms:

convert, rework, modify, conform, reconcile, suit, accommodate, fit

verb (used without object)

to adjust oneself to different conditions, environment, etc..

to adapt easily to all circumstances.

adapt British

/ əˈdæpt /

verb

(often foll by to) to adjust (someone or something, esp oneself) to different conditions, a new environment, etc
(tr) to fit, change, or modify to suit a new or different purpose

to adapt a play for use in schools

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See adjust.

Other Word Forms

adaptability noun
adaptable adjective
adaptedness noun
adaptive adjective
misadapt verb
nonadapting adjective
readapt verb (used with object)
unadapted adjective
well-adapted adjective

Etymology

Origin of adapt

First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin adaptāre “to fit, adjust,” perhaps via French adapter; ad-, apt

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.

Australia skipper Steve Smith said Thursday he will have a drink with Ben Stokes and reflect on a "fun" Ashes series, while praising his team for adapting to all scenarios in winning the five-Test showdown.

From Barron's

“AI provides speed and scale, but security operations require auditable decisions, nuanced judgment, and the ability to adapt to novel threats,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Establishing these long-term funding sources would empower high-quality providers to design programs that can adapt to fit the labor market.

From MarketWatch

The results suggest that early dogs were adapting quickly, long before the appearance of modern breeds, driven by their close and growing relationship with human communities.

From Science Daily

As the model continues to grow across the game globally, it remains to be seen just how consortiums will adapt to manage all of their assets, and whether fans will continue to accept it.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023