Synonyms

adaptive

American

[uh-dap-tiv] / əˈdæp tɪv /

adjective

serving or able to adapt; showing or contributing to adaptation.

the adaptive coloring of a chameleon.

Other Word Forms

adaptively adverb
adaptiveness noun
adaptivity noun
nonadaptive adjective
readaptive adjective
readaptively adverb
readaptiveness noun
unadaptive adjective
unadaptively adverb
unadaptiveness noun

Etymology

Origin of adaptive

First recorded in 1815–25; adapt + -ive

Compare meaning

How does adaptive compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

adaptive vs. maladaptive

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 believe speed training may have been especially effective because it was adaptive.

From Science Daily

The new ordinance inspired developer David Tedesco to move ahead with plans to convert a high-profile office building in Sherman Oaks, a neighborhood that wasn’t previously included in the city’s adaptive reuse guidelines.

From Los Angeles Times

He also developed what he calls the adaptive markets hypothesis, which uses the principles of evolution to explain behaviors such as loss aversion and overconfidence.

From The Wall Street Journal

This is what happens when the adaptive systems we call on for short-term survival are tapped for an indefinite stretch.

From Salon

Passive immunotherapy involves giving patients ready made antibodies to quickly control an infection, rather than waiting for the body's adaptive immune system to respond.

From Science Daily

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