adapt
/əˈdæpt/
To change something to make it suitable for a new purpose or environment. It suggests a process of adjustment and flexibility, often in response to pressure or a shift in circumstances. When applied to people, it describes the ability to survive or thrive in unfamiliar settings. It carries a positive connotation of resilience and intelligence, contrasting with 'conform', which implies passive submission rather than active modification. In creative contexts, such as film or literature, it refers to translating a work from one medium to another (e.g., adapting a novel into a movie). Here, the nuance is about preserving the essence while changing the form to fit the new format.
💬Casual Conversation
The whole paradigm is shifting, man. You gotta adapt your strategy, or you'll get wiped out.
Adapt to what? The new patch? I'm still trying to grind this battle pass.
Meanings
Collocations & Compounds
adapt a plan
To modify a plan to suit new circumstances or requirements.
We had to adapt the plan to fit the new budget.
adapt a text
To change a written work (such as a book or play) so that it can be performed or presented in a different format, like a movie or for a younger audience.
The director decided to adapt the novel for the screen.
adapt software
To modify computer software to meet specific needs or to work in a different environment.
The IT department had to adapt the software for the new operating system.
adapt a script
To rewrite a script, often for a different medium or to change its style or content.
She was hired to adapt the play's script into a screenplay.
adapt a story
To change a narrative from one form to another, such as from a book to a film.
Many children's books are adapted into animated movies.
Etymology
The word 'adapt' comes from the Latin word 'adaptare', meaning 'to fit, adjust'. It entered English in the mid-17th century, initially with the sense of fitting one thing to another, or making something suitable. Its meaning evolved to include the biological sense of an organism adjusting to its environment, and the more general sense of modifying something to suit new conditions.