accommodate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to do a kindness or a favor to; oblige.
to accommodate a friend by helping him move to a new apartment.
- Antonyms:
- inconvenience
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to provide suitably; supply (usually followed bywith ).
The officials were accommodated with seats toward the front of the room.
-
to lend money to.
Can you accommodate him, or are you short of cash?
-
to provide with a room and sometimes with food.
-
to furnish with accommodations, as food and lodgings.
-
to have or make room for.
Will this elevator accommodate 10 people?
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to make suitable or consistent; adapt.
to accommodate oneself to circumstances.
-
to bring into harmony or make adjustments or allowances for.
to accommodate differences;
to accommodate your busy schedule.
verb (used without object)
-
to become adjusted or adapted.
-
to become reconciled; agree.
verb
-
(tr) to supply or provide, esp with lodging or board and lodging
-
(tr) to oblige or do a favour for
-
to adjust or become adjusted; adapt
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(tr) to bring into harmony; reconcile
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(tr) to allow room for; contain
-
(tr) to lend money to, esp on a temporary basis until a formal loan has been arranged
Usage
What does accommodate mean? To accommodate someone is to do them a favor or meet their needs or wants in some way, as in You don’t have to accommodate everyone all the time—sometimes the answer should be no. To accommodate a request is to honor it—to do what has been asked, as in They were kind enough to accommodate my special requests.The adjective accommodating means eager or willing to help or please in this way.Accommodate can also mean to make or have room for, as in This bus can accommodate up to 50 passengers. Similarly, accommodate can mean to provide someone with a place to stay, as in Unfortunately the hotel was not able to accommodate us—all the rooms were reserved. The related term accommodation is often used in this context, especially in relation to hotels rooms or other temporary lodging. In this case, it is often used in the plural, as in What are the accommodations like?Accommodation is also commonly used in a general way referring to the act of accommodating. This can be used in any of the senses of the word.Example: We’ve extended our hours to better accommodate our customers.
Related Words
Other Word Forms
- accommodable adjective
- accommodative adjective
- nonaccommodable adjective
- preaccommodate verb (used with object)
- reaccommodate verb
- unaccommodable adjective
- underaccommodated adjective
- well-accommodated adjective
Etymology
Origin of accommodate
First recorded in 1515–25; from Latin accommodātus “adjusted,” past participle of accommodāre “to adjust,” from ac- ac- + commod(us) “convenient, fitting, suitable” ( com-, mode )
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.
But as fast as Gil was running to accommodate new arrivals, the city’s population of homeless people was growing even faster.
From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026
Department of Transportation proposed modifying two federal vehicle-safety rules to accommodate Tesla and other companies developing robotaxis.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026
Through 2019, they were able to accommodate all the redemption requests they received.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
When airspace is suddenly shut or congested, controllers communicate with pilots about where they need to go, how much fuel they have and which airports can accommodate their type of aircraft.
From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026
Carmine flops over, tucking his legs beneath him and stretching his arms, and both of us shift to accommodate him.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
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.
