adaptability
Americannoun
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Etymology
Origin of adaptability
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How does adaptability compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
If someone is equally able to live on an iceberg, in a desert, and on top of a mountain, you could say that she has a lot of adaptability. This means she is able to make changes in response to her environment. The ability to adapt, or adaptability, is a great quality to have if you are an employee of a company that is going through a lot of changes or if you are an animal in nature, having to weather different seasons, or climate changes. You could say that some chameleons, which change color to blend into their surroundings, have a high level of adaptability.
Vocabulary lists containing adaptability
Lesson 1
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The BFG
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Camp Panda
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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.
Researchers say this pattern reflects experimentation and adaptability rather than a permanent agricultural transformation.
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
For the Lakers this season, it’s been about adaptability.
From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2026
The company has already demonstrated its adaptability by integrating Anthropic models into software offerings despite its close ties to OpenAI.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
Survival during extreme global crises depends on adaptability, resilience, and reproductive strategy.
From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026
The human blitzkrieg across America testifies to the incomparable ingenuity and the unsurpassed adaptability of Homo sapiens.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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.
