adapting

IPA/əˈdæpt/
KK[ədˈæptɪŋ]IPA/əˈdæpt/

adapting — 動詞

  • adaptingpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • adaptings3rd person singular
  • adaptinging-ing form
  • adaptingedpast simple

1. to change something so that it works or fits better in a different situation or

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

調整；改編

修改事物以符合新用途

to change something so that it works or fits better in a different situation or for a new purpose — for example, modifying a car engine to run on a different fuel, or rewriting a story so a younger audience can enjoy it.

例句

Samir adapted his bicycle by adding a small motor for the steep hills.

Samir 幫腳踏車加了一個小馬達，來調整它應付陡峭的山坡。

adapt + noun + by + -ing

The film director adapted the novel so teenagers could enjoy it too.

那位電影導演改編了這本小說，讓青少年也能喜歡。

同義詞
  • modify

    smaller or more technical changes; less focus on suitability for a new purpose

  • adjust

    minor tweaks rather than significant changes

  • tailor

    made to fit a specific person, group, or need exactly

反義詞
  • preserve

    to keep unchanged instead of modifying

文法句型

adapt + noun + to + noun

adapt + noun + for + noun

adapt + noun + to-infinitive

adapt + noun + by + -ing

用法筆記

Frequently passive: 'The software was adapted for use on tablets.' The direct object is the thing being changed, not the situation.

常見錯誤

❌I adapted to the recipe for my daughter's allergy.
✅I adapted the recipe for my daughter's allergy.
💡When you change the object itself, use the noun directly after 'adapt', not 'adapt to'.
❌We need to adapt the system for work in different countries.
✅We need to adapt the system to work in different countries.
💡Use 'to' + infinitive to state the new purpose, not 'for' + noun alone.

2. to change your own behaviour, ideas, or habits so that you fit in or cope well w

2.動詞不及物B1
釋義

適應

改變自身以融入新環境

to change your own behaviour, ideas, or habits so that you fit in or cope well with a new situation — for instance, learning local customs after moving to a foreign country, or getting used to a different working style in a new job.

例句

When Ari moved to Brazil, he adapted quickly to the warmer weather and later meals.

Ari 搬到巴西後很快就適應了溫暖的天氣和較晚的用餐時間。

adapt + to + noun phrase — the new situation

Femi found it hard to adapt to a slower life after leaving the army.

Femi 退伍後很難適應步調比較慢的生活。

同義詞
  • adjust

    smaller, more practical changes rather than deep shifts in behaviour

  • accommodate

    more formal; often implies making room for others' needs or circumstances

  • get used to

    informal; describes the gradual process of becoming comfortable with something new

反義詞

文法句型

adapt + to + noun

adapt + to + -ing

struggle/find it hard + to adapt

用法筆記

This sense is almost always followed by 'to' introducing the new situation. It is never used with a direct object — 'adapt to [situation]', not 'adapt [situation]'.

常見錯誤

❌She could not adapt the new environment.
✅She could not adapt to the new environment.
💡When adapting yourself, the preposition 'to' is required.
❌I need time to adapt myself to the new rules.
✅I need time to adapt to the new rules.
💡'Adapt oneself' is grammatically possible but overly formal; the simple 'adapt to' is more natural in everyday English.

3. When a living thing changes gradually in its physical features or behaviour over

3.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

演化；適應

生物隨世代變化以利生存

When a living thing changes gradually in its physical features or behaviour over many generations, becoming better able to survive and reproduce in the particular place where it lives — for example, how cacti developed thick stems to store water in dry deserts.

例句

Desert plants have adapted to store water in their thick leaves and stems.

沙漠植物演化出在肥厚莖葉中儲存水分的能力。

adapt + to-infinitive — purpose of adaptation

Over millions of years, cave fish adapted by losing their colour and eyesight.

經過數百萬年，洞穴魚類逐漸演化，失去了顏色和視力。

adapt + by + -ing — biological mechanism

同義詞
  • evolve

    broader term covering all inherited changes over generations, not only those for survival

  • develop

    less specific; can describe change within a lifetime or across generations

  • become suited

    describes the result rather than the process of adaptation

文法句型

adapt + to + noun

adapt + by + -ing

adapt + noun + to + noun

用法筆記

Biological adaptation occurs over many generations, not within a single lifetime. For short-term individual change (e.g. a person getting used to the cold), use 'adjust' or 'get used to' instead.

常見錯誤

❌The rabbit adapted to the cold winter in one month.
✅The rabbit adapted to the cold climate over many generations.
💡Natural selection works across generations; individual animals adjust within their lifetime but do not biologically adapt in one season.
❌Humans adapted to walk on two legs very quickly.
✅Humans adapted to walk on two legs over millions of years.
💡Major evolutionary changes take a very long time.