Definition

1. Noun:
   • The quality or ability of being adaptable; the capacity to adjust or be adjusted to new or different conditions. This is the core meaning, referring to the inherent trait of being able to modify oneself or one's behavior to suit altered situations or environments.
   • The capability of a system or organism to be modified for a new use or purpose. This meaning extends the concept to non-human entities, such as technology, software, or biological species.

Usage and Examples

• General Trait:
  • Her adaptability was crucial when she moved to a new country with a different culture.
  • The success of the team depends on its adaptability to changing market trends.
• Biological/Technical Context:
  • The adaptability of this software allows it to run on various operating systems.
  • A species' long-term survival often hinges on its genetic adaptability to environmental shifts.

Advanced Usage

• "Demonstrate/show adaptability": To display the ability to adjust.
  • Candidates must demonstrate adaptability and problem-solving skills.
• "Degree/level of adaptability": Refers to how much something or someone can adapt.
  • The degree of adaptability required for this role is very high.
• "Adaptability to something": Specifies what is being adapted to.
  • His quick adaptability to remote work impressed his manager.

Variants and Related Words

• Adaptable (adj): Able to adjust to new conditions.
  • She is an adaptable person who learns quickly.
• Adapt (v): To make suitable or to adjust.
  • Animals must adapt to their surroundings to survive.
• Adaptation (n): The process or result of adapting.
  • The film is an adaptation of a famous novel.

Synonyms

• Flexibility: The quality of bending easily without breaking; willingness to change.
• Versatility: Ability to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities.
• Resilience: The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness (often overlaps in contexts of change).
• Adjustability: The quality of being able to be adjusted.

Antonyms

• Inflexibility: Unwillingness to change or adapt.
• Rigidity: Inability to be changed or adapted.
• Obduracy: Stubborn refusal to change one's opinion or course of action.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• "Capacity for change": A phrase closely related to the core meaning of adaptability.
• "Survival of the fittest": A concept in evolution where the most adaptable organisms are the ones most likely to survive.

Noun

1. the ability to change (or be changed) to fit changed circumstances