What does "adoption" mean?
The act of adopting.
Adoption
/əˈdɑp.ʃən/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of adopting.
- Grammar: adoption is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: acceptance, acceptance, acceptances, acceptation.
- Useful contrasts: abandonment, abrogating, abrogations.
- Usage evidence: Adoption for gay and lesbian parents remains a hotly contested issue in the United States.
How to use "adoption"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "adoption" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "adoption" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "adoption" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "adoption" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "adoption" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "acceptance" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "adoption", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of adopting. countable, uncountable
"The project also included seeking the adoption of homosexuals as prisoners of conscience by Amnesty International, which would mean simply adding 'sexual orientation' to Article 1A of the Amnesty International mandate."
- 2 the appropriation (of ideas or words etc.) from another source wordnet
- 3 The state of being adopted; the acceptance of a child of other parents as if they were one's own child. countable, uncountable
"A Chinese baby girl was given away for adoption."
- 4 the act of accepting with approval; favorable reception wordnet
- 5 An admission to an institution, for example a hospital, clinic, mental asylum. countable, uncountable
"the adoption of people into hospitals or monasteries"
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 a legal proceeding that creates a parent-child relation between persons not related by blood; the adopted child is entitled to all privileges belonging to a natural child of the adoptive parents (including the right to inherit) wordnet
- 7 The choosing and making that to be one's own which originally was not so; acceptance. countable, uncountable
"the adoption of opinions"
- 8 The choosing and making that to be one's own which originally was not so; acceptance.; The act of accepting and putting into effect or practice (a method, proposal, technique, etc.) countable, uncountable
"Our company is considering the adoption of a four-day week."
- 9 The transfer from an old system to another (usually better) system. countable, uncountable
- 10 An act of divine grace by which the redeemed in Christ are admitted to the privileges of the sons of God. countable, uncountable
- 11 Ten consecutive wins against an opponent. countable, slang, uncountable
"Infuriated by his adoption yesterday, the chess master has resolved to study twice as long and twice as hard."
Antonyms
Example
"Adoption for gay and lesbian parents remains a hotly contested issue in the United States."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "adoption"?
Common synonyms include: acceptance, acceptance, acceptances, acceptation, acculturation, admission.
How do you use "adoption" in a sentence?
Adoption for gay and lesbian parents remains a hotly contested issue in the United States.
How do you pronounce "adoption"?
Pronounced /əˈdɑp.ʃən/.
Etymology
Borrowed from French adoption, from Latin adoptio, allied to adoptare (“to adopt”). Equivalent to adopt + -ion.