adoption
noun
adop·tion
ə-ˈdäp-shən 
plural adoptions
1
: the act or process of adopting someone or something: such as
a
: the act or process of adopting a child
couples who are interested in adoption
About three-quarters of private domestic adoptions are now "open," involving some degree of ongoing contact between adoptive parents, adoptees and the birth family …—
Sydney Trent
Sydney Trent
b
: the act or process of adopting an animal as a pet
dogs and cats available for adoption
The global pandemic saw a boom in pet adoptions …—scoop.co.nz
scoop.co.nz
c
: the act of beginning to practice or use something
the adoption of new technology
The versatility of the henley shirt can be seen in its early adoption by rowers and how it has been worn since.—Emma Fraser
Emma Fraser
d
: the act or process of giving official acceptance or approval to something
the adoption of measures to reduce emissions
2
: the state or condition of being adopted
She is their daughter by adoption.
Examples of adoption in a Sentence
the company wants to speed up its adoption of new technology.
Our adoption of local customs has gone slowly.
The lawyer has handled countless adoptions.
children who are available for adoption
the unanimous adoption of the resolution by the Senate
Recent Examples on the Web
Riverside County Department of Animal Services All of the ducks were transported to the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus on Tuesday and put up for adoption beginning Wednesday morning.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Manson’s story culminates with the war in Ukraine, in which Maven has helped mitigate Russia’s advantages; the conflict became an inflection point for comprehensive national adoption.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026
Soyfer said one of the goals of the litigation is to build a movement that leads to a higher ruling to broadly curb the surveillance state promoted by the widespread adoption of ALPR cameras.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
Person-first language has become standard in many areas of medicine, and its adoption in discussions of autism reflects a broader cultural shift toward empathy and understanding.
—Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adoption
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Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Manson’s story culminates with the war in Ukraine, in which Maven has helped mitigate Russia’s advantages; the conflict became an inflection point for comprehensive national adoption.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026
Soyfer said one of the goals of the litigation is to build a movement that leads to a higher ruling to broadly curb the surveillance state promoted by the widespread adoption of ALPR cameras.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
Person-first language has become standard in many areas of medicine, and its adoption in discussions of autism reflects a broader cultural shift toward empathy and understanding.
—Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adoption
Cite this Entry
“Adoption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adoption. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
adoption
noun
adop·tion
ə-ˈdäp-shən
: the act of adopting : the state of being adopted
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