adaptability

American

[uh-dap-tuh-bil-i-tee] / əˌdæp təˈbɪl ɪ ti /

Rarely adaptableness

noun

the ability to adjust to different conditions or circumstances.

Educational institutions are switching to the new software because of its flexibility, adaptability, and ease of use.
Critical thinking skills and emotional and intellectual adaptability are essential characteristics of an educated citizenry.

Other Word Forms

nonadaptability noun
nonadaptableness noun
readaptability noun
superadaptableness noun
unadaptability noun
unadaptableness noun

Etymology

Origin of adaptability

adapt ( def. ) + -ability ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does adaptability compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

adaptability vs. flexibility

Explanation

If someone is equally able to live on an iceberg, in a desert, and on top of a mountain, you could say that she has a lot of adaptability. This means she is able to make changes in response to her environment. The ability to adapt, or adaptability, is a great quality to have if you are an employee of a company that is going through a lot of changes or if you are an animal in nature, having to weather different seasons, or climate changes. You could say that some chameleons, which change color to blend into their surroundings, have a high level of adaptability.

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Vocabulary lists containing adaptability

Lesson 1

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The BFG

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Camp Panda

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Survival during extreme global crises depends on adaptability, resilience, and reproductive strategy.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

A constitutionally cyclical outlook encouraged adaptability and sustainability rather than fatalism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

His signature 4-2-5 defense was designed, in part, to allow for such adaptability.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2026

Carrick tactics are clear but he has also shown a level of adaptability.

From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026

The human blitzkrieg across America testifies to the incomparable ingenuity and the unsurpassed adaptability of Homo sapiens.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023