Meaning & use

adaptive

adjective·Academic

Able to adjust readily to new, different, or changing conditions.

See it in a sentence

The species survived because it was highly adaptive to sudden shifts in climate.

Good managers stay adaptive when unexpected problems disrupt their original plans.

A note on using this word

Adaptive describes the capacity to change successfully, while 'adaptable' more often describes a specific thing that can be adapted.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

rigidinflexible

Make it your own

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