accommodating

[ uh-kom-uh-dey-ting ]

adjective

1. easy to deal with; eager to help or please; obliging.

accommodating

/ əˈkɒməˌdeɪtɪŋ /

adjective

1. willing to help; kind; obliging

Derived Forms

• acˈcommoˌdatingly, adverb

Other Words From

• ac·commo·dating·ly adverb
• nonac·commo·dating adjective
• nonac·commo·dating·ly adverb
• nonac·commo·dating·ness noun
• preac·commo·dating·ly adverb
• super·ac·commo·dating adjective
• unac·commo·dating adjective
• unac·commo·dating·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of accommodating¹

First recorded in 1610–20; accommodat(e) + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Others think “mom-and-pop landlords” who tend to deal with lower-income tenants have been more accommodating or reluctant to lose tenants than expected.

From FiveThirtyEight

If we actually want to change social structures to be more equal, more inclusive, more accommodating of human differences, we can’t blind ourselves to a major source of those differences.

From Nautilus

For one, many companies have implemented hybrid telecommuting work schedules or staggered in-person hours, meaning fewer people in the office and thus a more accommodating environment to introduce four-legged office mates.

From Time

Agencies, as a whole, went out of their way to be extremely accommodating.

From Digiday

My agency has still been pretty accommodating, but you can almost feel this sense that they’re kind of over it.

From Digiday

The service looks to be more concerned with being chic than it does with being accommodating.

From The Daily Beast

The law would also task a city staff member with accommodating complaints of discrimination from marginalized groups.

From The Daily Beast

And the family members were very accommodating when it came to the material.

From The Daily Beast

His interactions with congressional leaders were similarly accommodating.

From The Daily Beast

Our family is fanatically loyal to accommodating businesses and avoid those that seem perplexed by us.

From The Daily Beast

She really hasn't been well, and her superior officer is an accommodating old sort.

From Project Gutenberg

At Oulton, Bullen has a number of craft, ranging from a large pleasure wherry accommodating twelve persons, and let at 12l.

From Project Gutenberg

The bench (subsellium) differed from the stool only in accommodating more than one person.

From Project Gutenberg

These small rooms are supposed to be the sleeping-rooms of the gladiators, each accommodating two persons.

From Project Gutenberg

Along each side there is a row of free seats—about 50 altogether—capable of accommodating upwards of 300 persons.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• considerate
• friendly
• generous
• helpful
• hospitable
• polite
• unselfish

More About Accommodating

What does accommodating mean?

The adjective accommodating means eager or willing to help or please.

It comes from the continuous tense (-ing form) of the verb accommodate, which means to do someone 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.

Example: We can’t thank you enough—you’ve been so accommodating and have made us feel so welcome.

Where does accommodating come from?

The first records of the word accommodating as an adjective come from the early 1600s. Its base word, accommodate, comes from the Latin verb accommodāre, meaning “to make fit.” Its root word, the Latin commod(us), means “fitting” or “suitable.”

Sometimes, being accommodating means ignoring your own needs or making some kind of sacrifice to do what someone wants or needs. Sometimes, accommodating can be used to imply that you’re going through too much trouble to please a person—that you’re bending over backwards for them. Someone who does this can be described as too accommodating. The opposite is unaccommodating—not helpful at all.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to accommodating?

• accommodatingly (adverb)
• unaccommodating (adjective)
• accommodate (verb)

What are some synonyms for accommodating?

• obliging
• helpful

What are some words that share a root or word element with accommodating?

• accommodation
• accommodative

What are some words that often get used in discussing accommodating?

• help
• request
• ask
• more
• need
• want

How is accommodating used in real life?

Accommodating is often used in the context of people being helpful, especially when they go out of their way to do so.

Shoutout to Dr. James Overboe, he's been so accommodating to his students giving extensions and saying that students can submit their assignments whenever. He really cares about his students

— Spotted At Laurier (@SpottedLaurier) November 2, 2020

Today, as part of our Invisibility Disability Awareness campaign, we're discussing auditory disabilities and how society can be more accommodating for people with auditory issues ❤️ pic.twitter.com/noEgvTM01G

— UCC DAA Soc (@UCCDAASoc) October 29, 2020

I’m way too accommodating. It’s almost self-destructive at this point.

— LoVita Alizé Jenkins (@Chinkrueche) October 31, 2020

 

 

Try using accommodating!

Is accommodating used correctly in the following sentence?

I know you love to help, but in this case I think you’re being a little too accommodating.