adopt

\ ə-ˈdäpt

adopted; adopting; adopts

Definition of adopt

1 : to take by choice into a relationship especially : to take voluntarily (a child of other parents) as one's own child

2 : to take up and practice or use adopted a moderate tone

3 : to accept formally and put into effect adopt a constitutional amendment

4 : to choose (a textbook) for required study in a course

5 : to sponsor the care and maintenance of adopt a highway

intransitive verb

: to adopt a child couples choosing to adopt

Other Words from adopt Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about adopt

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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 To say that Coldplay is simply adopting cultures that aren’t its own wouldn’t be quite right (this time). — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Coldplay Would Like to Save the World With Vagueness," 26 Nov. 2019 When a firefighter adopts a stray cat, a veterinarian teaches him how to care for his fragile pet, which leads to unexpected romance for the single man and woman. — Chris Foran, jsonline.com, "Christmas TV guide 2019: Where and when you can find holiday shows, from Hallmark movies to 'Grinch'," 25 Nov. 2019 In the series, Angela struggles to protect her husband (played by Aquaman's Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and their three adopted children from the dangers of her job while a mysterious conspiracy rolls into her life to disrupt everything. — Sean Wellington, Essence, "5 Reasons You Should Be Watching 'Watchmen'," 24 Nov. 2019 The parents were arrested and the children put in state custody and later adopted. — Mary Jo Pitzl, Arizona Republic, "When police officers need quick help for people in distress, this Phoenix charity answers the call," 24 Nov. 2019 In states such as Ohio and Tennessee, where the puppy mill bill has been adopted, opponents have started their own model legislation campaign to fight back. — USA Today, "Puppies, phones and porn: How model legislation affects consumers’ lives," 20 Nov. 2019 Customers in New York City and Chicago have a choice of browsing and adopting letters to Santa online or in person. — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, "Help USPS Fulfill Children’s Christmas Lists Through “Operation Santa”," 19 Nov. 2019 At the time of this writing, however, DisplayPort 2.0 had not been implemented in any devices; and HDMI 2.1, which makes many of its features optional, has been fully adopted in relatively few real-world products. — Jon L. Jacobi, PCWorld, "HDMI vs. DisplayPort: Which display interface reigns supreme?," 13 Nov. 2019 The book is peppered with stories of people who have adopted the plan, with results that include substantial weight loss, better mental focus, decreased bloating, clearer skin, and improved health markers, like lower blood pressure. — Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health.com, "What Is Oprah's Latest Diet? A Nutritionist Explains the OMD Plan," 8 Nov. 2019

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

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Last Updated

3 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Adopt.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adopting. Accessed 7 December 2019.

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More Definitions for adopt

adopt

verb

English Language Learners Definition of adopt

: to take a child of other parents legally as your own child

: to begin to use or have (a different manner, method, etc.)

: to begin to use (a name that is not your real or original name)

See the full definition for adopt in the English Language Learners Dictionary

adopt

verb

\ ə-ˈdäpt

adopted; adopting

Kids Definition of adopt

1 : to legally take a child of other parents to raise

2 : to take up as someone's own After moving to Quebec, he adopted French as his language.

3 : to accept and put into action The state adopted a law requiring drivers to wear seat belts.

adopt

transitive verb

\ ə-ˈdäpt

Legal Definition of adopt

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 statement — Barber-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