adjust

verb

ad·​just ə-ˈjəst How to pronounce adjust (audio)
adjusted; adjusting; adjusts
Synonyms of adjustnext

transitive verb

1
a
: to bring to a more satisfactory state:
(1)
: settle, resolve
ways of adjusting conflicts
(2)
: rectify
adjust an error
b
: to make correspondent or conformable : adapt
had to adjust our approach
c
: to bring the parts of to a true or more effective relative position
adjust a carburetor
2
: to reduce to a system : regulate
3
: to determine the amount to be paid under an insurance policy in settlement of (a loss)

intransitive verb

1
: to adapt or conform oneself (as to new conditions)
adjust to the new regulations
Our eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness.
2
: to achieve mental and behavioral balance between one's own needs and the demands of others
adjustability
ə-ˌjə-stə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce adjust (audio)
noun
adjustable
ə-ˈjə-stə-bəl How to pronounce adjust (audio)
adjective
adjustive
ə-ˈjə-stiv How to pronounce adjust (audio)
adjective

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for adjust

adapt, adjust, accommodate, conform, reconcile mean to bring one thing into correspondence with another.

adapt implies a modification according to changing circumstances.

adapted themselves to the warmer climate

adjust suggests bringing into a close and exact correspondence or harmony such as exists between parts of a mechanism.

adjusted the budget to allow for inflation

accommodate may suggest yielding or compromising to effect a correspondence.

businesses accommodating themselves to the new political reality

conform applies to bringing into accordance with a pattern, example, or principle.

refused to conform to society's values

reconcile implies the demonstration of the underlying compatibility of things that seem to be incompatible.

tried to reconcile what he said with what I knew

Examples of adjust in a Sentence

The car is easier to drive since the clutch was adjusted. I adjusted the volume on the radio. She adjusted the car seat so she could reach the pedals. Going to a new school can be difficult, but the kids will eventually adjust. It's hard to adjust myself to the idea that she's gone. He makes less money now, when you adjust for inflation, than he did 10 years ago.
Recent Examples on the Web The onset of the pandemic forced people to adjust to remote work, but breaking out of it has been harder even with return-to-office mandates. —Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 10 Apr. 2024 The brand exhibits its technical prowess by adjusting the caliber DB2005 to smaller proportions without compromising its chronometric precision. —Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2024 Choose from three settings with just the push of a button, including auto mode, which can automatically adjust to your atmosphere. —Leonora Epstein, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024 Or people can start right now to adjust their expectations. —Belinda Luscombe, TIME, 9 Apr. 2024 Younger cats and kittens with a stronger drive to explore will have an easier time adjusting to a new experience than an older cat who has comfortably resided indoors. —Colleen Grablick, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024 But the spring market has proven unable to adjust to shifts in the business. —Liza Foreman, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024 One of its proudest innovations was the integration of the speed lock, which enabled poles to be adjusted on the fly. —Tiney Ricciardi, The Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2024 The developers recently adjusted the timeline and sequencing order for District Detroit, making the residential tower next to the UMCI as one of its first projects. —Detroit Free Press, 29 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'adjust.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French ajuster (earlier and Middle French also spelled adjuster), going back to Old French ajouster "to make comply with," from a- (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + -jouster, verbal derivative of juste "right, exact" — more at just entry 1

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of adjust was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near adjust

adjurer

adjust

adjustable-pitch

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Adjust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adjust. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

adjust

verb
ad·​just ə-ˈjəst How to pronounce adjust (audio)
1
: to bring to a better state : set right
adjust conflicts
adjust the error
2
: to move the parts of an instrument or a piece of machinery until they fit together in the best working order
adjust a watch
adjust the brakes on a car
3
: to determine the amount of an insurance claim
4
: to adapt oneself to conditions
had trouble adjusting to the new job
adjustable
-ˈjəs-tə-bəl How to pronounce adjust (audio)
adjective
adjuster noun
also adjustor
-ˈjəs-tər

Medical Definition

adjust

transitive verb
ad·​just ə-ˈjəst How to pronounce adjust (audio)
: to bring about orientation or adaptation of (oneself)

intransitive verb

1
: to adapt oneself (as to climate, food, or new working hours)
2
: to achieve mental and behavioral balance between one's own needs and the demands of others
adjustability
-ˌjəs-tə-ˈbil-ət-ē How to pronounce adjust (audio)
noun
plural adjustabilities
adjustable
-ˈjəs-tə-bəl How to pronounce adjust (audio)
adjective
adjustive
-ˈjəs-tiv How to pronounce adjust (audio)
adjective

Legal Definition

adjust

transitive verb
ad·​just
1
a
: to determine the amount to be paid under an insurance policy in settlement of (a loss)
b
: to make new arrangements with creditors for the payment of (the debts of a debtor in bankruptcy)
2
: to calculate in accordance with a system
adjusting the basis

More from Merriam-Webster on adjust

Nglish: Translation of adjust for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of adjust for Arabic Speakers

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