adaptable

adjective adapt·able \ ə-ˈdap-tə-bəl , a- \

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

Definition of adaptable

: capable of being or becoming adapted

plants that are easily adaptable to colder climates

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adaptability

play \-ˌdap-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

See adaptable defined for English-language learners

Examples of adaptable in a Sentence

an adaptable tool that combines a screwdriver, a corkscrew, and pliers
an activities director who's adaptable to any kind of situation

Recent Examples of adaptable from the Web

The very nature of this series demands its top drivers be adaptable.

— jim ayello, USA TODAY Sports, "Series veterans getting up to speed with new Indy cars," 14 Apr. 2018
Employees who say their leaders have a clear view of where the organization is going are five times more likely to say their peers are adaptable.

— ed frauenheim, Fortune, "How to Operate a Healthcare Facility That Keeps Workers Happy," 10 Apr. 2018
While Nirenberg has said in the past that rail could be a component in San Antonio’s future transit system, the City Hall source said that thinking has shifted and that experts worry rail isn’t adaptable enough for emerging transit technologies.

— josh baugh, San Antonio Express-News, "Nirenberg hopes to sway voters with new mass-transit plan," 10 Apr. 2018
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai sequenced the genome of the American cockroach, Periplaneta Americana, revealing a Swiss army knife-like set of genes that makes the insects uber adaptable.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Cockroach Genome Shows Why They Are Impossible to Kill," 21 Mar. 2018
Yet the Celtics have been as adaptable as Transformers and as resilient as Captain America's shield to pull off late-season feats that healthy teams would be hard-pressed to do.

— paul coro, latimes.com, "The injury-riddled Celtics aren't limping into the playoffs thanks to rising young stars," 31 Mar. 2018
Coyotes are notoriously intelligent, opportunistic and adaptable creatures.

— gregory b. hladky, courant.com, "Crying Wolf? Coyote Population, Incidents May Be Up, But Some Say Threat Not That Bad," 26 Mar. 2018
Machine learning can make games prettier, more adaptable to individual playstyles, and easier to create, Microsoft says.

— brad chacos, PCWorld, "How machine learning can make prettier PC games that adapt to your play preferences," 19 Mar. 2018
Most of us are pretty adaptable — that’s what’s beautiful about the seafood business.

— janelle nanos, BostonGlobe.com, "A whiteout outside; an ocean-themed fish convention inside," 13 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'adaptable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of adaptable

adapt + -able

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First Known Use: 1692

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adaptable Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of adaptable

plastic, pliable, pliant, ductile, malleable, adaptable mean susceptible of being modified in form or nature. plastic applies to substances soft enough to be molded yet capable of hardening into the desired fixed form.