adjustable

American  

[uh-juhs-tuh-buhl] / əˈdʒʌs tə bəl /

adjective

1. capable of being adjusted.

   adjustable seat belts.

2. (of loans, mortgages, etc.) having a flexible rate, as one based on money market interest rates or on the rate of inflation or cost of living.

3. (especially of life insurance) having flexible premiums and coverage, based on the insuree's current needs and ability to pay.

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noun

1. any rate, expense, income, etc., that varies unpredictably.

   Luckily, his chief income is not made up of adjustables. Allow some money in your budget for the adjustables.

Other Word Forms

• nonadjustable
  adjective
• preadjustable
  adjective
• unadjustable
  adjective
• adjustably
  adverb
• nonadjustably
  adverb
• unadjustably
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of adjustable

First recorded in 1765–75; adjust + -able

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Explanation

Something that's adjustable can be changed or altered so that it works or fits better. A car's adjustable seat can accommodate both very tall and very short drivers. Most belts are adjustable — you can make them larger or smaller depending on the size of your waist. Seat belts and ball caps are also adjustable, so that they conform to different bodies and heads. When a loan or mortgage from a bank is described as adjustable, it means that the interest rate changes periodically. The verb adjust came first, from the Old French ajouter, "to join," based on the Late Latin adiuxtare, "to bring near."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

adjustable

Engineers activated its light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, which function as adjustable light sources that can produce different colors and brightness levels under commands from Earth.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026

With 30-year fixed mortgage rates making their largest jump in four years, people looking to buy homes might consider loans with adjustable rates that start off considerably lower than fixed-rated loans.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

It said if the government would allow the combining of information about customers' income, health and energy consumption, a discount scheme could offer targeted and adjustable support, and respond to changing needs and price levels.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

It is also surprisingly simple, relying on only a handful of adjustable parameters and a small number of assumptions within the framework of general relativity.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 18, 2026

In the center of the thickly carpeted room, directly beneath an adjustable ceiling lamp, was a large round table covered with green baize.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

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Related Words

• flexible

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