adapt

verb

ə-ˈdapt 

a-

adapted; adapting; adapts

transitive verb

: to make fit (as for a new use) often by modification

adapt the curriculum to students' needs

intransitive verb

: to become adapted

adapt to a new environment

Did you know?

"Nothing in this world is as reliable as change" is a common aphorism and one we can certainly attest to as lexicographers. English speakers adapted adapt, for example, in the 15th century from the Middle French adapter, which was itself an adaptation of Latin adaptāre. That source traces back to Latin aptus, meaning "fit" or "apt." Other adaptations of aptus in English include aptitude, inept, and of course apt itself, as well as unapt and inapt.

Synonyms

• acclimate
• acclimatize
• accommodate
• adjust
• condition
• conform
• doctor
• edit
• fashion
• fit
• put
• shape
• suit
• tailor

Choose the Right Synonym for adapt

adapt, adjust, accommodate, conform, reconcile mean to bring one thing into correspondence with another.

adapt implies a modification according to changing circumstances.

adapted themselves to the warmer climate

adjust suggests bringing into a close and exact correspondence or harmony such as exists between parts of a mechanism.

adjusted the budget to allow for inflation

accommodate may suggest yielding or compromising to effect a correspondence.

businesses accommodating themselves to the new political reality

conform applies to bringing into accordance with a pattern, example, or principle.

refused to conform to society's values

reconcile implies the demonstration of the underlying compatibility of things that seem to be incompatible.

tried to reconcile what he said with what I knew

Examples of adapt in a Sentence

When children go to a different school, it usually takes them a while to adapt.

She has adapted herself to college life quite easily.

The camera has been adapted for underwater use.

The clock was adapted to run on batteries.

The movie was adapted from the book of the same title.

adapting the movie for television

Recent Examples on the Web

Hazanavicius for his latest film adapted the Second World War novel of the same title by Jean-Claude Grumberg that is set against the events of the Holocaust and told with magical realism. —Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Apr. 2024

But in recent years, topologists have adapted their tools to work on discrete data by creating graphs of points connected by lines and then analyzing the properties of those graphs. —Lyndie Chiou, WIRED, 21 Apr. 2024

Other businesses must adapt to the new normal of post-coronavirus life. —Jonathan Lansner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2024

More on India Bengaluru’s Water Crisis: The Silicon Valley of South Asia did not properly adapt as its soaring population strained traditional water sources. —Samanth Subramanian Vikas Adam Tanya Pérez Zachary Mouton, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024

Gadd later adapted Baby Reindeer into a television series, which was released on Netflix in April 2024 and immediately topped the streamer's charts. —Rebecca Aizin, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024

In 1997, a statistician named Bob Runyan adapted the formula to rank national soccer teams—a project so successful that FIFA eventually adopted an Elo system for its official rankings. —Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 19 Apr. 2024

Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the music and lyrics to the Broadway show, is adapting the screenplay with Winnie Holzman. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024

After a groggy 18 months following the defeat of its initial invasion and the spectacular Ukrainian attacks that drove the Russians back from Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Kherson, the Russian military machine is adapting. —Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English adapted (as translation of Latin adaptātus), borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French adapter, borrowed from Latin adaptāre, from ad- ad- + aptāre "to put into position, bring to bear, make ready," verbal derivative of aptus "fastened, prepared, suitable" — more at apt entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

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Kids Definition

adapt

verb

ə-ˈdapt 

: to make or become suitable

especially : to change so as to fit a new or specific use or situation

adapt to life in a new school

adapt the novel for children

adaptability

-ˌdap-tə-ˈbil-ət-ē

noun

adaptable

-ˈdap-tə-bəl

adjective

Etymology

from French adapter and Latin adaptare, both meaning "to adapt," from Latin ad- "to" and aptus "apt, fit" — related to apt

Medical Definition

adapt

transitive verb

ə-ˈdapt 

: to make fit (as for a specific or new use or situation) often by modification

adapted himself to the new position

intransitive verb

: to become adapted : undergo adaptation