adapt
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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to adjust oneself to different conditions, environment, etc..
to adapt easily to all circumstances.
verb
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(often foll by to) to adjust (someone or something, esp oneself) to different conditions, a new environment, etc
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(tr) to fit, change, or modify to suit a new or different purpose
to adapt a play for use in schools
Related Words
See adjust.
Other Word Forms
- adaptability noun
- adaptable adjective
- adaptedness noun
- adaptive adjective
- misadapt verb
- nonadapting adjective
- readapt verb (used with object)
- unadapted adjective
- well-adapted adjective
Etymology
Origin of adapt
First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin adaptāre “to fit, adjust,” perhaps via French adapter; ad-, apt
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Their head coach, though, is a man who had limited time in the professional game, but Hortin said Skubala's ability to learn and adapt has been impressive.
From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026
Dealers loved the Chrysler 300, which had a good amount of Mercedes hardware under the skin, but the brand struggled to adapt to a world where SUVs began to rule American roads.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
Such treatments could adapt to each patient's unique biology, improving effectiveness while reducing side effects.
From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2026
The rise of AI is raising questions about whether to adapt or eliminate it.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
The most intensely social animals can only adapt to group behavior.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.