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Synonyms

adapt

American

[uh-dapt] / əˈdæpt /

verb (used with object)

to make suitable to requirements or conditions; adjust or modify fittingly.

They adapted themselves to the change quickly.
He adapted the novel for movies.

Synonyms:

convert, rework, modify, conform, reconcile, suit, accommodate, fit

verb (used without object)

to adjust oneself to different conditions, environment, etc..

to adapt easily to all circumstances.

adapt British

/ əˈdæpt /

verb

(often foll by to) to adjust (someone or something, esp oneself) to different conditions, a new environment, etc
(tr) to fit, change, or modify to suit a new or different purpose

to adapt a play for use in schools

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See adjust.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of adapt

First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin adaptāre “to fit, adjust,” perhaps via French adapter; see ad-, apt

Explanation

Say you move to a country where everyone cooks with lots of hot peppers. At first the food scalds your tongue, but over time you adapt — you change in a way that allows you to deal with the new circumstances. Adapt comes from the ancient word ap, which means "take" or "grasp." Ap is even older than Latin — it comes from a lost language that was spoken by the common ancestors of modern-day Indians and Europeans and has since been reconstructed by linguists, who named it the Proto-Indo-European language, or PIE. So what does adapt have to do with grasp? If you adapt to, say, a new country, it's as though you're grabbing hold of its strange, slippery customs.

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Vocabulary lists containing adapt

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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.

The ordinance marks a brief respite in the monthslong scramble to adapt to the broad changes brought by SB 79.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026

This gives the AI chatbot up-to-date information on the financial accounts you choose to link to it, so it can tailor its guidance to adapt as you spend, save and invest.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 1, 2026

Transport infrastructure across Europe, North America and central Asia must adapt to more adverse climate conditions, the United Nations said on Tuesday, warning that inaction could prove more costly than upgrades.

From Barron's • Jun. 30, 2026

“Given how quickly pricing and capabilities are evolving, we’re designing for flexibility so we can adapt over time and continue to deploy AI efficiently,” Kay added.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026

He surmised that traits that are passed on change and adapt according to what is needed for survival.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

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