adopt

American  

[uh-dopt] / əˈdɒpt /

verb (used with object)

• adopts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• adopted,
  past participle,  past
• adopting
  present participle

1. to choose or take as one's own; make one's own by selection or assent.

   to adopt a nickname.

2. to take responsibility for raising (someone else’s biological child) as one's own, specifically by a formal legal act.

   After more than 300 days in foster care, the twins were adopted by a family that was able to keep the siblings together.

3. to acquire (a pet, especially one from an animal rescue organization).

   Local animal rescue groups use social media to persuade people to adopt dogs and cats from them instead of purchasing puppies and kittens from pet shops or breeders.

4. to take or receive into any kind of new relationship.

   to adopt a person as a protégé.

5. to select as a basic or required textbook or series of textbooks in a course.

6. to vote to accept.

   The House adopted the report.

7. to accept or act in accordance with (a plan, principle, etc.).

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verb (used without object)

• adopts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• adopted,
  past participle,  past
• adopting
  present participle

1. to take a nonbiological child into one’s home and raise as one’s own.

2. to acquire a pet, especially one from an animal rescue organization.

   “Adopt! Don’t shop!” is the popular slogan promoted by one nonprofit animal advocacy group.

verb phrase

1. adopt out to place in a home by means of adoption.

   The shelter provides basic medical care and vaccinations to the animals they will be adopting out.

adopt British  

/ əˈdɒpt /

verb

1. law to bring (a person) into a specific relationship, esp to take (another's child) as one's own child

2. to choose and follow (a plan, technique, etc)

3. to take over (an idea, etc) as if it were one's own

4. to take on; assume

   to adopt a title

5. to accept (a report, etc)

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Usage

What does adopt mean? To adopt is to take another parent’s child into one’s custody, typically in a formal legal way, in order to permanently act as their parent or guardian. This most commonly involves an adult couple or a single adult adopting and raising a child who is no longer in the custody of either of their birth parents (biological parents), such as in cases where they have died or are otherwise unable to care for the child. This sense of adopt can also be used in reference to adopting an animal as a pet, such as from an animal shelter. The word is especially used this way when the animal had a previous caretaker. Adopt and the noun form adoption have many other more general meanings. Most generally, adopt means to choose or take as one's own. It can also mean to accept something or vote to approve it. In all cases, adoption is the act or process of adopting, or the state of having adopted. To adopt a tradition or religion is to make it one’s own. To adopt a plan is to approve it and act according to its steps. Similarly, to adopt a law is to formally vote to approve it and take steps to follow and enforce it. Example: We’ve found an agency that will help us to adopt.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• adoptee
  noun
• adopter
  noun
• adoption
  noun
• nonadopter
  noun
• preadopt
  verb (used with object)
• quasi-adopt
  verb (used with object)
• readopt
  verb (used with object)
• quasi-adopted
  adjective
• unadopted
  adjective
• well-adopted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• adopting
  present
• adopted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• adopt
  simple
• adopts
  simple
• have adopted
  perfect
• has adopted
  perfect
• am adopting
  progressive
• are adopting
  progressive
• is adopting
  progressive
• have been adopting
  perfect progressive
• has been adopting
  perfect progressive

Past

• adopted
  simple
• had adopted
  perfect
• was adopting
  progressive
• were adopting
  progressive
• had been adopting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will adopt
  simple
• will have adopted
  perfect
• will be adopting
  progressive
• will have been adopting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of adopt

First recorded 1490–1500; late Middle English adopten, partly from Middle French adopter, partly from Latin adoptāre, equivalent to ad- verb prefix + optāre “to desire, pray for”; see ad-, opt

Explanation

You can adopt an air of nonchalance, a fake British accent, or even a stray dog. When you adopt something, you consciously select it and accept it as your own. The word adopt has many different shades of meaning, but most relate to the notion of taking something on and treating it as if it’s your own. You’re probably familiar with what happens if you adopt a child: you take on parental responsibilities and accept the child as if it’s your own. You can adopt other things — such as a plan, a method, or a point of view — in a similar way. For example, when you adopt a particular attitude — such as a respectful attitude — you select that as a way to present yourself and behave as if it is natural.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

adopt adopts adopted adopting

Whether the Lucas Museum upends the art world may depend less on whether other museums adopt its philosophy than on whether audiences embrace the connections it attempts to draw.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

The tech company is betting that making AI agents easy to use will get normies to adopt them in their daily lives.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

A drop in small boats illegally reaching the UK is forcing people smuggling gangs to adopt new tactics, a BBC investigation has found.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

"We have to adopt certain principles of conscious food systems to make it more mindful, so young people can relate to the connection to the land in their hearts, not just the economics," he said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

None of the other photographers looked like they were in the mood to adopt a dog today.

From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein

It adopts a helpful no-punishment philosophy: If you don’t meet your goals or you step away from the app for an extended amount of time, it only sends encouragement.

From Slate ● Sep. 6, 2026

Caesar orders his friend to marry and divorce to satisfy dynastic imperatives, and forcibly adopts Agrippa’s children when it suits him.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

Pressure and temperature alone may not determine which structure the material adopts.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

Cardiff University said it was sorry that "any student felt unsafe" on campus and that it adopts a "zero-tolerance approach to harassment and discrimination of all kinds".

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

In May, Congress adopts a gag rule designed to prohibit any discussion of petitions related to slavery.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

It’s been less than four years since the public debut of ChatGPT, the first widely adopted generative AI platform.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

The technology, known as U-RHYTHM, was adopted and further developed by the spinout company Dynamic Therapeutics in 2023.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026

The Food and Drug Administration has adopted these modern methods to approve new drugs for other slow-progressing diseases, including Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis and metabolic liver disease.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

For now, the only concrete measure adopted by both Anthropic and OpenAI is the inclusion of independent observers who will internally verify the companies' work regarding AI safety.

From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026

“I mean, if you’re busy, I can get the mail by myself. It’s just—you’re used to being adopted, and you laugh things off, but this is all new to me, you know?”

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Peru has joined the Shield of the Americas, a U.S.-led coalition of over a dozen countries adopting a hard-line playbook for taking on drug traffickers and armed groups.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026

Sean McVay and the Rams are adopting a different approach from the San Francisco 49ers by delaying travel to Melbourne, Australia, for their season opener.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

Will Nigel Farage ditch the "aggrieved" tone he has been accused of adopting recently?

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

"We see the opportunity of joining the EU and adopting the euro as a very significant benefit to Icelandic companies and to the Icelandic general public," he says.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

“We’re not scared of adopting you, if that’s what you’re worried about. Mark and I love you. We know you. We trust you. Implicitly.”

From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway

Related Words

• accept
• approve
• embrace
• endorse
• follow
• maintain
• ratify
• select
• support
• take up
• use