adjustment

noun

ad·​just·​ment ə-ˈjəs(t)-mənt 

plural adjustments

1

: the act or process of adjusting

2

: a settlement of a claim or debt in a case in which the amount involved is uncertain or full payment is not made

3

: the state of being adjusted

4

: a means (such as a mechanism) by which things are adjusted one to another

5

: a correction or modification to reflect actual conditions

6

chiropractic : the manual or mechanical manipulation of a joint (especially the spine) in which a controlled force is applied to the joint

A click of the instrument allows the practitioner to provide a quick and precise thrust to the spine, making the adjustment before the patient's muscular reflex can tense the body and interfere with the manipulation.

—Dr. Andrew Weil's Self Healing

adjustmental

ə-ˌjəs(t)-ˈmen-tᵊl 

ˌa-ˌjəs(t)-

adjective

Synonyms

• acclimation
• acclimatization
• accommodation
• adaptation
• adaption
• conformation

Examples of adjustment in a Sentence

The engine only needed a minor adjustment.

She made some slight adjustments to the recipe.

The engine only needed minor adjustment.

Moving from the city to the country requires an adjustment.

We went through a period of adjustment at the new school.

The figures were calculated with no adjustments for inflation.

The figures were calculated with no adjustment for inflation.

Recent Examples on the Web

This alternative ended up being adopted along with other adjustments that granted near-term flexibility to automakers. —Peter Douglas, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024

Biden has been working to fix various administrative problems that have long plagued the program, and the discharges announced Friday are the result of one such adjustment. —Alia Wong, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024

This price adjustment comes prior to the launch of the 2024 Lightning available for order at Ford.com later this month, Ford spokesman Marty Gunsberg said Thursday evening. —Detroit Free Press, 11 Apr. 2024

Keen awareness of the power and consequences of media will lead us to more informed choices and, in turn, lead the industry to make necessary adjustments. —Kyle Bowser, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Apr. 2024

This adjustment was made in response to customer feedback and concerns about inclusivity and body diversity. —Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024

One major adjustment in all of this is the mechanics of how a song gets popular, and what its popularity generates. —Jason Parham, WIRED, 9 Apr. 2024

So Oceana relied on market data from firms Mordor Intelligence and Euromonitor to conduct its analysis, and then made adjustments based on public statements Amazon has made about new measures meant to reduce waste. —Justine Calma, The Verge, 4 Apr. 2024

The company made major structural adjustments and adopted new technologies like early warning systems. —Siyi Zhao Lam Yik Fei, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French ajustement, going back to Middle French adjutement, adjustement, from adjuster "to adjust" + -ment -ment

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing adjustment

• self-adjustment

Kids Definition

adjustment

noun

ad·​just·​ment ə-ˈjəs(t)-mənt 

1

: the act or process of adjusting

2

: a settlement of a claim or debt

3

: the state of being adjusted

4

: a means of adjusting one part (as in a machine) in relation to another

an adjustment for focusing a microscope

Medical Definition

adjustment

noun

ad·​just·​ment ə-ˈjəs(t)-mənt 

1

: the act or process of adjusting: as

a

: the process of modifying one's behavior in changed circumstances or an altered environment in order to fulfill psychological, physiological, and social needs

b

: a functional and often transitory alteration by which an organism adapts to its immediate environment compare adaptation sense 2b

2

: a means (as a mechanism) by which things are adjusted one to another

adjustments for brightness

3

chiropractic : the manual or mechanical manipulation of a joint (especially of the spine) in which a controlled force is applied to the joint

adjustmental

ə-ˌjəs(t)-ˈment-ᵊl, ˌaj-ˌəs(t)- 

adjective