as in borrows
to take for one's own use (something originated by another)
shortly after moving to the U.S., the family dutifully adopted the American tradition of having turkey for Thanksgiving
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Recent Examples of adopts
While Metcalf’s Linda adopts a facade of stoicism to shield her family from the grief erupting in her, Abbott’s Biff is forced to reveal the broken man behind the defiant veneer.
—
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
At Davos, ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott promised not to lay off employees even as his 30,000-employee company adopts Agentic AI and automates certain functions.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Understanding Exploration at a District Scale Where historic mining initiatives might have focused on a single target, modern exploration adopts a different approach.
—William Jones, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
These impairments can impact gene expression, brain function, and immune function, as well as behaviors or coping strategies that one adopts to deal with toxic stress, says Ports.
—Rob Williams, EverydayHealth.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Defense tech adopts the countercultural posture of the avant-garde to shape the reception of military innovation.
—Simon Denny, Artforum, 20 Apr. 2026
Set near the foot of South Mountain and its 100 miles of trails, Wonderift adopts an earthy ethos, recycling grounds and providing a no-velvet-couch, no-frills hangout to hikers.
—Chris Malloy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Apr. 2026
An almond-sized dollop suffices for quenching my thirsty complexion, which adopts a satiny appearance and velvety smoothness—without greasiness or excess shine—in seconds.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026
The City Council adopts budgets every other year for the next two fiscal years and makes adjustments in response to factors such as actual receipts and market conditions.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
At Davos, ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott promised not to lay off employees even as his 30,000-employee company adopts Agentic AI and automates certain functions.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Understanding Exploration at a District Scale Where historic mining initiatives might have focused on a single target, modern exploration adopts a different approach.
—William Jones, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
These impairments can impact gene expression, brain function, and immune function, as well as behaviors or coping strategies that one adopts to deal with toxic stress, says Ports.
—Rob Williams, EverydayHealth.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Defense tech adopts the countercultural posture of the avant-garde to shape the reception of military innovation.
—Simon Denny, Artforum, 20 Apr. 2026
Set near the foot of South Mountain and its 100 miles of trails, Wonderift adopts an earthy ethos, recycling grounds and providing a no-velvet-couch, no-frills hangout to hikers.
—Chris Malloy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Apr. 2026
An almond-sized dollop suffices for quenching my thirsty complexion, which adopts a satiny appearance and velvety smoothness—without greasiness or excess shine—in seconds.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026
The City Council adopts budgets every other year for the next two fiscal years and makes adjustments in response to factors such as actual receipts and market conditions.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adopts
Verb
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What the Forward Edge Means The phrase borrows from military doctrine, where the forward edge marks the line where engagement is most intense.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Critics say Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is hostile to Muslims in particular and borrows from the organization's Hindu nationalist ideology.—
Rob Schmitz,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The First Four has been successful because the city of Dayton embraces college basketball and has given the event a big-time vibe.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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Mindy Kaling embraces the spring season in a pink dress at the Maison Valentino & Alessandro Michele Specula Mundi book launch event in Los Angeles on April 28.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adopts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adopts. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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