adaptation
gb/ˌædæptˈeɪʃən/ us/ˌædæptˈeɪʃən/
B2
English
~ 9700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
action
1
process of adjusting to change
The process of changing so that you can live or work well in a new situation.
Usage pattern:
adaptation to [new situation]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "adaptation" with "adoption". "Adaptation" is about changing to fit something new; "adoption" is about taking something as your own (for example, adopting a child or adopting an idea). Another common mistake is using the wrong preposition: say "adaptation TO new conditions", not *"adaptation FOR new conditions" in most cases.
Synonyms
adjustment (Very close in meaning, but more general and slightly more informal in everyday use.)
|
accommodation (More formal and often used for people or groups changing to fit each other or new rules.)
Antonyms
resistance (Emphasizes refusing to change or accept new conditions.)
Collocations
adaptation to change
|adaptation to a new environment
|social adaptation
|cultural adaptation
|adaptation period
|adaptation process
Themes
daily_life
|work
|psychology
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her rapid adaptation to remote work impressed everyone on the team.
- The adaptation of the company to the new market took several difficult years.
- Moving to another country involves a long period of adaptation to a different culture.
- Successful adaptation to climate change will require changes in how cities are planned.
- The training program is designed to support employees’ adaptation to new technologies.
Learner examples
- His adaptation to life in the city was not easy.
- The school helps with students’ adaptation to a new language.
- Good adaptation to change is important at work.
- After the accident, she went through a hard adaptation period.
- Adaptation to a new job can take a few months.
Noun
B2
entity
2
new work based on earlier one
A movie, play, or TV show that is made from a book, story, game, or other work.
Usage pattern:
adaptation of [source work] into [new form]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"adaptation from the book" when talking about movies. The most common structure is "a film adaptation OF the book" or "an adaptation OF the book INTO a film".
Synonyms
version (General word for a different form of something; does not always imply a change of medium.)
|
remake (Usually a new film or show based on an earlier film or show, not necessarily on a book.)
Antonyms
original (Refers to the first work that the adaptation is based on.)
Collocations
film adaptation
|screen adaptation
|stage adaptation
|television adaptation
|adaptation of the novel
|cinematic adaptation
Themes
arts
|media
|entertainment
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- The film adaptation of the novel was released last year.
- Many fans felt that the screen adaptation did not capture the depth of the characters.
- The stage adaptation adds several new scenes that are not in the book.
- Her latest project is an adaptation of a popular video game into a TV series.
- Critics praised the adaptation for staying faithful to the spirit of the original story.
Learner examples
- I loved the movie adaptation of that book.
- The TV adaptation changes the ending of the story.
- He is working on a stage adaptation of a famous novel.
- This adaptation is very different from the original book.
- The adaptation keeps most of the main characters.
Noun
technical
C1
event
3
evolutionary process of becoming suited
In biology, the slow change of living things over many generations so they can live better in their environment.
Usage pattern:
adaptation to [environmental condition]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this type of adaptation happens in a single animal’s lifetime. In evolutionary biology, adaptation is a process that happens over many generations in a population, not a quick change in one individual.
Synonyms
evolution (A broader process; adaptation is one key result or aspect of evolution focused on fitness to the environment.)
Antonyms
maladaptation (A change that makes an organism or population less suited to its environment.)
Collocations
evolutionary adaptation
|adaptation to the environment
|adaptation to climate
|adaptation through natural selection
|long-term adaptation
Themes
science
|biology
|evolution
|nature
Examples
- Adaptation to extreme cold has allowed these species to survive in polar regions.
- The textbook explains adaptation as a key mechanism of evolution driven by natural selection.
- Rapid environmental change can outpace the adaptation of many species.
- This study looks at the genetic basis of adaptation to high-altitude environments.
- Adaptation over millions of years has produced the incredible diversity of life we see today.
Learner examples
- Adaptation helps animals live in their environment.
- Adaptation to dry conditions is important for desert plants.
- Changes in climate can affect the adaptation of species.
- Adaptation happens over many generations, not in one lifetime.
- Adaptation to the ocean took a very long time for land animals.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
4
evolved feature helping survival
A body part or behavior that has slowly changed over time and now helps an animal or plant live or have young in its environment.
Usage pattern:
an adaptation for [purpose]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes call any unusual feature an "adaptation". In biology, a feature is called an adaptation only if it clearly helps survival or reproduction and is understood to have evolved for that function.
Synonyms
trait (General scientific word for a feature; not all traits are necessarily adaptations.)
|
specialization (Suggests an adaptation that is very specific to a narrow role or environment.)
Antonyms
disadvantage (A feature that makes survival or reproduction harder instead of easier.)
Collocations
structural adaptation
|behavioral adaptation
|adaptation for survival
|specialized adaptation
|adaptation to cold
|adaptation to darkness
Themes
science
|biology
|nature
|animals
Examples
- Thick fur is an important adaptation for animals living in cold climates.
- The plant’s deep roots are an adaptation for finding water in dry soil.
- Nocturnal behavior can be seen as an adaptation to avoid daytime predators.
- Gills are a classic adaptation that allow fish to extract oxygen from water.
- Camouflage coloring is an adaptation that helps insects hide from predators.
Learner examples
- A long neck is an adaptation that helps the giraffe eat leaves high in trees.
- Webbed feet are an adaptation for swimming.
- Sharp teeth are an adaptation for eating meat.
- The owl’s big eyes are an adaptation to see at night.
- Cactus spines are an adaptation to protect the plant.
Noun
technical
C1
event
5
body or senses getting used to stimulus
In science, the way your body or senses slowly change their reaction to something that stays the same, like a bright light or a strong smell.
Usage pattern:
adaptation of [sense/organ] to [stimulus]
Common mistake:
Learners may mix this scientific sense with general life changes, like moving to a new country. In this sense, "adaptation" is about automatic changes in the body or senses, not about conscious changes in lifestyle or behavior.
Synonyms
acclimatization (Often used for the whole body adjusting to new conditions like altitude or climate, not only senses.)
Antonyms
sensitization (A process where the response to a stimulus becomes stronger, not weaker.)
Collocations
sensory adaptation
|visual adaptation
|dark adaptation
|light adaptation
|physiological adaptation
Themes
science
|health
|psychology
|body
Examples
- Dark adaptation allows your eyes to see better after several minutes in a dim room.
- Sensory adaptation explains why you stop noticing a constant background noise.
- Physiological adaptation to high altitude can take several days.
- The study measured adaptation of the visual system to rapid changes in light intensity.
- Olfactory adaptation occurs when a smell seems to fade even though it is still present.
Learner examples
- After some time, adaptation to the bad smell happens and you do not notice it as much.
- Dark adaptation helps you see better at night after being outside for a while.
- Adaptation to cold water takes a few minutes.
- Because of adaptation, you stop hearing the fan after some time.
- Visual adaptation lets your eyes work in bright sun and in the dark.
Grammar
Dictionary form
adaptation
IPA
GB/ˌædæptˈeɪʃən/
US/ˌædæptˈeɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
ad - apt - a - tion (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (a)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: adaptation
- Plural: adaptation, adaptations
Word family
Expressions
adaptation to climate change
1/ˌædæptˈeɪʃən tə klˈaɪmɪt t͡ʃˈeɪnd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
technical
changing to live with climate change
Changes that people, cities, or countries make so they can live with the effects of climate change and reduce damage.
Examples
- Adaptation to climate change will require major investments in coastal protection.
- Many governments now include adaptation to climate change in their long-term plans.
- Farmers are testing new crops as a form of adaptation to climate change.
film adaptation
1/fˈɪlm ˌædæptˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
movie made from another work
A movie that is made from a book, play, game, or other story.
Examples
- The film adaptation won several awards but changed the ending of the book.
- She prefers the book to the film adaptation.
- They are planning a new film adaptation of the classic novel.
screen adaptation
1/skɹˈin ˌædæptˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
film or TV version of a work
A movie or TV show that is made from a book, play, comic, or other story.
Examples
- The screen adaptation of the comic series became an international hit.
- Critics praised the screen adaptation for its strong cast and fresh dialogue.
- Her novel was optioned for a screen adaptation by a major studio.
stage adaptation
1/stˈeɪd͡ʒ ˌædæptˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
theater play based on earlier work
A play for the theater that is made from a book, film, or other story.
Examples
- The stage adaptation of the movie uses only five actors.
- A new stage adaptation of the bestseller will open in London next year.
- The stage adaptation cuts several scenes that were in the film.