adopted; adopting; adopts

transitive verb

1
: to take (someone or something) by choice into a relationship
They adopted Canada as their home.
: such as
a
: to take (a child born to other parents) voluntarily as one's own child especially in compliance with formal legal procedures
Many young couples … are experiencing infertility problems, and as a result, some are looking to adopt a child.Sonia Krohn
b
: to acquire (an animal) as a pet especially from an animal shelter
The family adopted a dog.
2
: to begin to practice or use (something, such as an approach or manner)
people who adopt a healthy lifestyle
He adopted a moderate tone.
Over the past year, I've adopted the habit of buying clothes and home goods only from ethical brands.Sunny Montgomery
Adopted from France, the widespread Victorian custom of leaving visiting cards led to the production of many types of card cases.William C. Ketchum, Jr.
The big three airlines have adopted different strategies in response to the pandemic.Ted Reed
Barnard explained that it was only in 1974 that the group adopted the name ABBA.Faith Qinga
3
: to accept and establish (something, such as a law or policy) in a formal or official way
adopt a constitutional amendment
adopted new safety measures
By then almost every state had adopted an animal anti-cruelty law.Mindy Norton
4
: to choose (educational materials) for required study in a course
The board is responsible for setting curriculum standards and adopting textbooks and other instructional materials for public schools.DallasNews.com
5
: to sponsor the care and maintenance of (something, such as a section of public road)
Rock Bridge [Community Church] has adopted part of Curtis Highway, while Northwest Georgia National has taken on part of Belwood Road.Cat Webb
6
: to take (a word from another language) into common use : borrow
English adopted the word "patio" from Spanish. = The English word "patio" was adopted from Spanish.

intransitive verb

: to adopt a child or animal
people who choose to adopt
adoptability noun
determine a pet's adoptability
adoptable adjective
a list of adoptable cats
adopter noun
plural adopters
an early adopter of new technology
… living rooms are great places for potential adopters to evaluate a dog … Dog Watch
Choose the Right Synonym for adopt

adopt, embrace, espouse mean to take an opinion, policy, or practice as one's own.

adopt implies accepting something created by another or foreign to one's nature.

forced to adopt new policies

embrace implies a ready or happy acceptance.

embraced the customs of their new homeland

espouse adds an implication of close attachment to a cause and a sharing of its fortunes.

espoused the cause of women's rights

Examples of adopt in a Sentence

They were unable to have children of their own, so they decided to adopt. They decided to adopt a child. He was adopted as an infant. Did he adopt your point of view? We adopted some of the local customs. The author Samuel Clemens adopted the name “Mark Twain.” He was born in England but he has adopted Canada as his home. The assembly adopted a new constitution. The resolution was unanimously adopted by the Senate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And even bigger than that, our ability to grow as a B Corp and be a support to our economy demonstrates these principles are beneficial a and can be adopted effectively by larger companies. Christopher Marquis, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024 These whimsical pimple patches were first proudly adopted by Gen Z on TikTok, but stars from the likes of Hailey Bieber, Ella Emhoff, SZA, and Central Cee have joined the ranks—sporting them in selfies all over Instagram. Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 2 Dec. 2024 It’s become somewhat of a buzzword adopted by numerous parenting influencers online. Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 2 Dec. 2024 Israel did not adopt the successful model that General David Petraeus employed in Iraq, clearing an area of terrorists and then holding it, while building a better life for civilians. Stuart E. Eizenstat, The Atlantic, 2 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for adopt 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English adopten, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French adopter, borrowed from Latin adoptāre, from ad- ad- + optāre "to express a wish for, desire, choose, decide on" — more at option entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of adopt was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near adopt

Cite this Entry

“Adopt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adopt. Accessed 13 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

adopt

verb
1
: to take legally as one's own child
adopted a baby girl
2
: to take as one's own
adopt a point of view
3
: to accept formally
the assembly adopted a constitution
adoptable adjective
adopter noun

Legal Definition

adopt

transitive verb
1
: to take voluntarily (a child of other parents) as one's own child especially in compliance with formal legal procedures see also equitable adoption
2
: to take or accept as if one's own
[the company] adopted the signature on the financing statementBarber-Greene Co. v. Nat'l City Bank of Minneapolis, 816 F.2d 1267 (1987)
3
: to accept formally and put into effect
adopt a constitutional amendment
adoptable adjective
adoptability
ə-ˌdäp-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē
adverb
adoption noun

More from Merriam-Webster on adopt

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!