"adjust to" or "adapt to"?

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Mehrgan

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Apr 18, 2009
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Persian
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Hi,
Could anyone please tell me the difference between "adjust to" and "adapt to"? It seems to me as though there isn't much difference in their usages when used without the preposition "to". How about the preposition? Does it change the meaning? Thanks in advance.
 
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Hi,
Could anyone please tell me the difference between "adjust to" and "adapt to"? It seems to me as though there isn't much difference in their usages when used without the preposition "to". How about the preposition? Does it change the meaning? Thanks in advance.

Hi, I am not a teacher,

but I believe the border line between the both meaning is not big. Maybe in a context one of them is better. Perhaps when you write one instead of the other you change a bit the sense but whatever for me one of them is enough to explain what you want to tell. It is always the place where you use it that show us which is the best for the meaning.

Have a nice day (Don't give up).
;-)
 
Hi, I am not a teacher,

but I believe the border line between the both meaning is not big. Maybe in a context one of them is better. Perhaps when you write one instead of the other you change a bit the sense but whatever for me one of them is enough to explain what you want to tell. It is always the place where you use it that show us which is the best for the meaning.

Have a nice day (Don't give up).;-)


Hi,
Thanks dear...these are the two examples that use the verbs separately. Can they be used interchangably, at least in these examples? Ta!

"The country found it hard to adapt to the new government."

"He found it hard to adjust to living in a tropical country."
 
Hi,
Thanks dear...these are the two examples that use the verbs separately. Can they be used interchangably, at least in these examples? Ta!

"The country found it hard to adapt to the new government."

"He found it hard to adjust to living in a tropical country."

Hello Mehrgan, (I am not teacher),

I think your first sentence is nice but the second sounds to me better if you have used 'adapt'. I reckon the word 'adjust' is more appropriate for the connection between two pieces. In a less words if was you I will use 'adapt to' to talk about people, persons or way of life and 'adjust to' for things.

Cordially,
 
Hi,
Could anyone please tell me the difference between "adjust to" and "adapt to"? It seems to me as though there isn't much difference in their usages when used without the preposition "to". How about the preposition? Does it change the meaning? Thanks in advance.
Actually, there are is one real difference. Adjustment can take place instantaneously. Adaptation takes place over time.
So it only takes a second to adjust your seatbelt to your size, or to adjust the air conditioning to your preferred temperature. You cannot use 'adapt' for this.
 
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