adapt

/əˈdæpt/

//əˈdæpt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"adapt" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“adapt” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,309 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#7,309
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make suitable; to make to correspond; to fit or suit.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

adapt vs apt
60% similar
adapt vs ADP
0% similar
adapt vs ASAP
0% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for adapt
PropertyValue
Headwordadapt
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/əˈdæpt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#7,309
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “adapt” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). adapt lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for adapt is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈdæpt/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,309 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for adapt, with forms such as "aadpt", "adappt", and "adaptt". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "apt", "ADP", "ASAP", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English *adapten (attested in Middle English adapted (past participle)), from Latin adaptāre (“to fit to”), from ad- (“to”) + aptāre (“to make fit”), from aptus (“fit”); see apt. The correct English form is adapt, spelled A-D-A-P-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make suitable; to make to correspond; to fit or suit.
  2. 2
    To fit by alteration; to modify or remodel for a different purpose; to adjust.
  3. 3
    To make by altering or fitting something else; to produce by change of form or character.
  4. 4
    To make oneself comfortable to a new thing.

Etymology

From Middle English *adapten (attested in Middle English adapted (past participle)), from Latin adaptāre (“to fit to”), from ad- (“to”) + aptāre (“to make fit”), from aptus (“fit”); see apt.

This word in other languages

adaptar(Español)adapter(Français)anpassen(Deutsch)adaptar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: aadpt,adappt,adaptt,adatp,addapt,adpat,daapt

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of adapt - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

aadpt2adappt1adaptt1adatp2addapt1adpat2daapt2
Edit distance from "adapt"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "adapt"?
"adapt" is spelled A-D-A-P-T. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈdæpt/.
What does "adapt" mean?
As a verb, "adapt" means: To make suitable; to make to correspond; to fit or suit.
What words are commonly confused with "adapt"?
"adapt" is commonly confused with "apt", "ADP", "ASAP". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "adapt"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "adapt" is /əˈdæpt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "adapt"?
From Middle English *adapten (attested in Middle English adapted (past participle)), from Latin adaptāre (“to fit to”), from ad- (“to”) + aptāre (“to make fit”), from aptus (“fit”); see apt. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “adapt”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-D-A-P-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈdæpt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “apt” - see the side-by-side comparison. adapt vs apt
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list