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Synonyms

adjust

American

[uh-juhst] / əˈdʒʌst /

verb (used with object)

to change (something) so that it fits, corresponds, or conforms; adapt; accommodate.

to adjust expenses to income.
to put in good working order; regulate; bring to a proper state or position.

to adjust an instrument.

Synonyms:

fix, repair, set
to settle or bring to a satisfactory state, so that parties are agreed in the result.

to adjust our differences.

Synonyms:

reconcile, rectify, arrange
Insurance. to determine the amount to be paid in settlement of (a claim).
to systematize.
Military. to correct the elevation or deflection of (a gun).

verb (used without object)

to adapt oneself; become adapted.

They had no problems in adjusting at the new school.

adjust British

/ əˈdʒʌst /

verb

(tr) to alter slightly, esp to achieve accuracy; regulate

to adjust the television
to adapt, as to a new environment, etc
(tr) to put into order
(tr) insurance to determine the amount payable in settlement of (a claim)

"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

Usage

What does adjust mean? To adjust is to change something so that it fits or adapts to something else or to its environment, as in Macky adjusted the menu so that it included more healthy dishes. To adjust is also to fix or put into a correct position or state, as in Adjust the radio dial, please, so that the station comes in clearly. To adjust also means to put into a satisfactory state, as in Laird adjusted the pitch of his voice to blend in better with the rest of the choir. Adjust can also be used as a synonym for adapt and can be used in reference to people, animals, or objects. For example, if you move to a new city, you may need time to adjust to your new home, learning what’s available and where everything is. Example: Adjust the speakers so that they are facing the audience.

Synonym Usage

Adjust, adapt, alter in their literal meanings imply making necessary or desirable changes (as in position, shape, or the like). To adjust is to move into proper position for use: to adjust the eyepiece of a telescope. To adapt is to make a change in character, to make something useful in a new way: to adapt a paper clip for a hairpin. To alter is to change the appearance but not the use: to alter the height of a table.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of adjust

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English ajusten, from Anglo-French ajuster, Old French aj(o)uster “to make conform to,” verb derivative (with a- a- ⁵ ) of juste “right” ( see just ¹), influenced in sense by ajoster, ajouter “to add,” from Late Latin adjuxtāre ( see ad-, joust)

Explanation

When you adjust to something, you change so that you can fit in, conform, or keep on going. Arriving at a new school almost always requires that you adjust a little. Once you adjust, you'll find you're as happy as you were in your old school. To adjust doesn't mean to transform in a major way. It implies small but important changes that make a big difference. If you adjust your speed by just ten miles per hour, you'll get more than fifty more miles per fill-up. You can adjust your hair to make it fancier, you can adjust your lifestyle to make it more sober, or you can adjust your attitude to make yourself less annoying. You used to have to adjust your TV antenna to get a better picture. Ask your mom.

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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.

See Examples For:

adjust adjusts adjusted adjusting

Whether it is nuclear power, the global population explosion, cyberhackers or the Y2K bug, most doomsday scenarios have not played out because people, governments and corporations adjust and fix problems as they emerge.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Roderik Colen, CEO of Powall, tells me that the system offers multiple opportunities to adjust and improve the performance of today's batteries.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

They will come with an improved camera that allows users to adjust the lens aperture.

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

The trouble with this approach is that when there’s a bump in the economy — stocks dip, bonds crater, inflation rises or there’s global chaos — you may have to adjust your lifestyle.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026

Gene steps through the doorway, and as his eyes adjust to the darkened room, I step up to him.

From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell

Common letters can certainly be useful, but the mathematical approach continually adjusts its choices based on what has already been learned.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 12, 2026

Verstappen arrives and briefly adjusts the fan blowing in our direction.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

All eyes have been on Justin Herbert this offseason as he adjusts to Mike McDaniel’s new-look offense.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Mr. Johnson adjusts the denominator by removing the third-trimester women.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Jax adjusts his baseball cap, and I brace myself as he opens the lobby door again, letting in cold and rain and noise until the door closes behind him.

From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari

The team then adjusted its analysis to account for hypertension, a known risk factor for hair loss.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026

For 2025, Bending Spoons reported a net loss of under $1 million, while its adjusted net income was about $402 million.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

The company also anticipates $1.85 and $1.93 in adjusted earnings per share, while the FactSet consensus called for $1.89.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026

During Molly's maternity leave, for example, they adjusted the split and she's found it helpful to "view finances as a household".

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

He adjusted the choke and pushed the ignition switch again.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

They might suggest documenting a right for your son to receive credit or reimbursement for his investment, adjusting his distribution based on future appraisals.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026

The researchers suggest that carefully adjusting factors such as symmetry, carrier density, mechanical stress, temperature, and magnetic field could produce even more exotic electronic states.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 5, 2026

The next day, Emirati carrier Flydubai followed suit, saying it was adjusting schedules and flight paths due to the “evolving situation in the region.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

After getting low and using his strength to shrug centre-back Waldemar Anton off him, Kane rose, slightly adjusting his body to the right.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

“I don’t think that law applies here,” said Isa, unconsciously adjusting her neat ponytail into an even neater ponytail.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser

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