adaptable

[uh-dap-tuh-buhl]

adjective

1. capable of being adapted.

2. able to adjust oneself readily to different conditions.

   an adaptable person.

Other Word Forms

• adaptability noun
• adaptableness noun
• nonadaptable adjective
• readaptable adjective
• superadaptable adjective
• superadaptably adverb
• unadaptable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of adaptable¹

First recorded in 1790–1800; adapt + -able

Example Sentences

These comparisons show that the Neanderthal diet in these regions relied heavily on deer, horses and hares, along with marine and coastal foods, pointing to a wide-ranging and adaptable approach to gathering resources.

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“We weren’t sure how it would work, but Hiro’s so adaptable and he’s such an amazing musician that it sounded great from the get-go,” Cameron said.

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In this newly revealed pathway, adaptable microbes living in marine sediments and wetland soils remove toxic sulfide and use it as an energy source for growth.

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Once you’ve baked a batch or two, you start to see just how adaptable this little recipe is.

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Under the current system, eligibility for benefits ticks up at ages 50, 55 and 60, as workers become more medically vulnerable and less adaptable.

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Related Words

• compliant 
• flexible 
• malleable 
• resilient 
• versatile