adaptable
uh-DAP-tuh-bul
/əˈdæptəbl̩/
Able to adjust quickly and successfully to new conditions or environments.
Implies an active, intelligent capacity to modify behavior or strategy when external circumstances change.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'adaptare', combining 'ad-' (towards) and 'aptare' (to fit, from 'aptus' meaning fit or suitable). The word originally described adjusting physical items to fit together before shifting during the Renaissance to describe human mental flexibility.
Word relationships
- versatile: Versatile emphasizes having many distinct skills, whereas adaptable emphasizes adjusting to changing circumstances.
- flexible: Flexible implies yielding or bending without breaking, while adaptable implies changing internal methods to fit a new reality.
- rigid: Rigid implies complete unwillingness or inability to change shape or perspective.
- inflexible: Inflexible highlights strict adherence to established rules or forms.
Commonly confused with
- adoptable: Adaptable means capable of adjusting; adoptable means suitable to be taken in or chosen.
Word family
- adapt (verb): To adjust to new conditions.
- adaptability (noun): The quality of being able to adjust to new conditions.
Collocations
- highly adaptable
- adaptable nature
- adaptable strategy
- adaptable species
Idioms & expressions
- go with the flow
- turn on a dime
Example sentences
- "An animal perfectly in equilibrium with its environment is a stagnant animal; only when change occurs does a creature prove adaptable." Literature on evolution and environment
- "The project leader sought adaptable team members who could shift priorities smoothly during market volatility." Modern workplace settings
Memory hook
ADAPT-able: add an APTitude to fit into any new context. Fit into any new environment with ease.
When not to use
Do not use for physical materials that bend without snapping; use flexible, pliable, or supple instead.
Fun facts
- In organizational psychology, adaptability is consistently rated among the top three survival skills for 21st-century careers.
Related words
Explore more words
adaptability, adaptive, adapt, versatile, flexibility, resilient
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