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.

England have shown more willingness to adapt since their second innings in Brisbane, but are struggling in defence too.

From BBC

Hugo Ekitike is also thriving with eight league goals this season, with Slot saying the 23-year-old has "already adapted to the Premier League."

From BBC

"This demonstrates both the system's exceptional sensitivity and its ability to provide reliable tumor-versus-healthy contrast. Moreover, by adjusting or substituting the targeting molecule, this method could be adapted for other cancer types."

From Science Daily

The result is a market where foreign brands are no longer losing because China is “closed” but because it has become intensely competitive — and unforgiving to those that fail to adapt.

From MarketWatch

I quickly adapted and moved to my next setup, which featured a striking geometric wooden wall in the studio.

From Los Angeles Times

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