adapt

[uh-dapt] / əˈdæpt /

VERB

adjust to a different situation or condition

Synonyms

STRONGEST

acclimate accommodate accustom alter comply conform fit modify prepare readjust revise shape suit tailor

STRONG

change familiarize fashion habituate harmonize make match qualify reconcile remodel square

WEAK

come around get act together get used to grow used to play the game roll with punches shape up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

neglect refuse reject

STRONG

disagree

WEAK

disarrange dislocate disorder disturb unfit

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.

Alexei, a 52-year-old building supervisor in Havana, recalled Mikhail Gorbachev's 1989 visit to Cuba, when the Soviet leader touted his perestroika reforms to a skeptical Fidel Castro and suggested that Cuba, too, needed to adapt.

From Barron's • Jun. 24, 2026

Ronaldo and Messi have both had to adapt their games to stay at the top.

From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026

Low genetic diversity makes it harder for populations to adapt to new threats like climate change, disease and human pressure.

From Science Daily • Jun. 24, 2026

Here are some innovative techniques that could help U.S. cities adapt to a warmer climate in the decades to come.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026

I became a wife, but I continue to adapt to and be humbled by what it means to truly love and make a life with another person.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Vocabulary lists containing adapt

The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2

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List 4

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The New SAT: The Language of the Test

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