adopt

Plural: adopts

Verb

Verb Forms: adopted, adopting, adopts

To take on or start to use something as one's own.
choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans
take up and practice as one's own
take on titles, offices, duties, responsibilities
take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect
- "he adopted an air of superiority"
take into one's family
- "They adopted two children from Nicaragua"
put into dramatic form
- "adopt a book for a screenplay"
take up the cause, ideology, practice, method, of someone and use it as one's own
- "They adopted the Jewish faith"
To take (a child, heir, friend, citizen, etc.) by choice into a relationship.
To take voluntarily (a child of other parents) to be in the place of, or as, one's own child.
To take (a child, heir, friend, citizen, etc.) by choice into a relationship.
To obtain (a pet) from a shelter or the wild.
To take (a child, heir, friend, citizen, etc.) by choice into a relationship.
To contribute towards the upkeep of (a child or animal), in exchange for occasional stories, pictures, etc.
To take (a child, heir, friend, citizen, etc.) by choice into a relationship.
To take by choice into the scope of one's responsibility.
To take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally.
To select and take or approve.
To beat an opponent ten times in a row.

Noun

Clipping of adoptable.

Examples

A friend of mine recently adopted a Chinese baby girl found on the streets of Beijing.
He adopted a new look in order to fit in with his new workmates.
I decided to adopt a more aggressive strategy for the second half of the game.
The match was not even close; the IM made amateurish blunders and ended up getting adopted.
These are resolutions that were adopted.
This supermarket chain adopts several families every Yuletide, providing them with money and groceries for the holidays.
to adopt the view or policy of another
We adopted an elephant at the local zoo.
We're going to adopt a Dalmatian.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle French adopter, from Latin adoptō; ad + optō (“to choose, desire”), equivalent to ad- + opt.

Synonyms

acquire, assume, borrow, dramatise, dramatize, embrace, espouse, follow, sweep up, take, take in, take on, take over, take up

Scrabble Score: 8

adopt: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
adopt: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
adopt: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

adopt: valid Words With Friends Word