as in adjusting
to change (something) so as to make it suitable for a new use or situation
it always takes freshmen a little while to adapt themselves to high school
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Recent Examples of adapting
Anyone adapting the Book of Genesis, even via fantasy sports, must reckon with the origins of the universe, which is tricky.
—
Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Collins will play Hepburn during the filming of the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, with Dickinson creator Alena Smith adapting the screenplay.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
Joe Robert Cole is adapting the book for the screen and will also serve as executive producer and showrunner in addition to directing multiple episodes, including the first.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 23 Feb. 2026
Salt saw it in the theater and Pickett is now adapting it for the BBC.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026
With London Fashion Week in full gallop, designers are making moves on and off the runway, adapting to the times and looking at style from a 360-degree perspective.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 20 Feb. 2026
These silicone lids from Basic Haus solve that problem by adapting perfectly to any shape.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026
Farmers have proven resilient time and again, adapting to changing markets, weather extremes and economic uncertainty.
—Joe Dymek, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2026
The art of adapting scores is no longer honored at the Oscars, but Williams' take on Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's iconic musical is a strong argument for why it should be brought back.
—Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Collins will play Hepburn during the filming of the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, with Dickinson creator Alena Smith adapting the screenplay.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
Joe Robert Cole is adapting the book for the screen and will also serve as executive producer and showrunner in addition to directing multiple episodes, including the first.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 23 Feb. 2026
Salt saw it in the theater and Pickett is now adapting it for the BBC.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026
With London Fashion Week in full gallop, designers are making moves on and off the runway, adapting to the times and looking at style from a 360-degree perspective.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 20 Feb. 2026
These silicone lids from Basic Haus solve that problem by adapting perfectly to any shape.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026
Farmers have proven resilient time and again, adapting to changing markets, weather extremes and economic uncertainty.
—Joe Dymek, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2026
The art of adapting scores is no longer honored at the Oscars, but Williams' take on Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's iconic musical is a strong argument for why it should be brought back.
—Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adapting
Verb
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McPhail said Home Depot's business was relatively stable throughout the year, including in the fourth quarter, when adjusting for storms.—
Melissa Repko,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
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Because many travelers book trips months in advance, the biggest question now is whether the recent disruptions in western Mexico will stabilize before those peak weeks or whether airlines and cruise lines will continue adjusting schedules and itineraries as spring break demand ramps up.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Nvidia carved out an early lead in tailoring its chipsets known as graphics processing units, or GPUs, from use in powering video games to helping train powerful AI systems, like the technology behind ChatGPT and image generators.—
Michelle Chapman,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
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Nvidia carved out an early lead in tailoring its chipsets known as graphics processing units, or GPUs, from use in powering video games to helping to train powerful AI systems, like the technology behind ChatGPT and image generators.—
Michelle Chapman,
Fortune,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Exile is a state of being barred from a homeland—of being forced to live in a foreign world as punishment for not conforming.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
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Rock n’ roll is not conforming to the people who came before you, but creating your own path in music and life.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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My siblings all give generously to food banks and homeless charities, even putting some homeless people up in hotels, which is great.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
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The person added that officials initially considered tapping banking regulators to draft a memo for Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent before eventually putting Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network in charge of gaming out the options.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Design can help with that, starting with accessories that keep your brush head far from the orange grime that lines the sink while simply suiting your bathroom’s style.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
23 Feb. 2026
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Only Ralph could make tweed, velvet, fur pelts and suiting sexy and recognizable and stylishly sumptuous.—
Anika Reed,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adapting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adapting. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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