acclimate
verb
ac·cli·mate ˈa-klə-ˌmāt ə-ˈklī-mət, -ˌmāt
acclimated; acclimating
Synonyms of acclimate
transitive verb
: to adapt (someone) to a new temperature, altitude, climate, environment, or situation
They had to acclimate themselves to an urban lifestyle.
slowly becoming acclimated to a new environment
intransitive verb
: to adjust or adapt to a new temperature, climate, environment, or situation : to become acclimated
climbers gradually acclimating to the high altitude
Synonyms
acclimatize
accommodate
adapt
adjust
condition
conform
doctor
edit
fashion
fit
put
shape
suit
tailor
I acclimated myself to the hot weather.
You might need to acclimate your plants to bright sunlight gradually.
We took a few days to get acclimated to our new teacher.
Recent Examples on the Web
Some temporary wallpaper should also be acclimated to the room's climate; check the manufacturer's instructions.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Nov. 2023
Late chronotypes can gradually acclimate themselves to an earlier bedtime by turning in a few minutes earlier every night, said Dr. Knutson.
—Amanda MacMillan, Health, 3 Sep. 2023
After giving the apes a few months to acclimate to the unusual setup, Dr. Lewis and her colleagues began their experiment.
—Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 18 Dec. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acclimate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from French acclimater, from a-, prefix forming transitive verbs (going back to Latin ad- AD-) + climat "climate" (going back to Old French) — more at CLIMATE
First Known Use
1792, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Time Traveler
The first known use of acclimate was in 1792
See more words from the same year
