accommodate - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
accommodate Word Meanings
- to make room for someone or something
- to adapt or adjust to meet someone's needs
- to provide lodging or space for someone
accommodate Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
accommodate Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/əˈkɒmədeɪt/
US
/əˈkɑːmədeɪt/
accommodate Word Etymology
accommodate = ad- (to) + commodare (to make fit) → Latin → Old French → English; Imagine a room expanding to fit everyone who enters, adapting the space for their comfort.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I push the couch a little aside and invite a friend to sit down, watching the space open up. I adjust the cushions and set a spare blanket within easy reach, feeling the room shift as their arrival changes things. The effort to keep things calm and comfortable gives a small, warm glow of control. That moment is what accommodation feels like in real life: you move, listen, and let needs steer the setup.
Real Context
Accommodate means to create space for someone or something, and also to adjust in order to meet another person’s needs. It can describe physically making room, such as rearranging furniture or adding beds, and more abstractly, adjusting plans, policies, or services to fit someone’s preferences. In hospitality, it means providing lodging and amenities. Learners often miss the nuance of adaptation versus merely containing; they may think it only refers to places, not to people or needs. English uses phrases like accommodate someone, accommodate to a situation, or accommodate a crowd. Remember the spelling with double c and double m, and avoid mixing with contain.
Usage Reminders
- Accommodate is used with people or needs, not just places.
- It tends to be transitive: you accommodate someone or something.
- Common collocations include accommodate a crowd and accommodate a request.
- Beware of spelling: two Cs and two Ms.
- Differentiate accommodate from contain or adapt; context matters.
Common Misconceptions
- It only refers to lodging or places, not to people or needs
- It is a synonym of contain, not adjust
- You can always use accommodate to mean 'to agree to'
- Spelling is simple, with only one 'c' or one 'm'
- It cannot be used with abstract concepts like plans or policies
Thinking Differences
For English speakers, accommodate often conveys active adjustment of services or space for people, not just storage; learners sometimes assume it only means putting things somewhere. Focus on who is being helped and by what means (space, plans, or lodging).
Learning Tips
- Use with people or needs, not only spaces
- Remember common collocations like accommodate a crowd
- Spell with two c and two m
- Differentiate from contain and adapt
- Practice with lodging and service contexts
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What does the word 'accommodate' mean?
A.Adjust
B.Agree
C.Criticize
D.Travel
Step 2: Usage
In which sentence is 'accommodate' used correctly?
A.She arrived on time to accommodate the meeting.
B.He criticized the new policy to accommodate the team.
C.The travel plans accommodated the delays.
D.They adjusted their schedule to accommodate the changes.
Step 3: Similar Words
Which word is a synonym of 'accommodate'?
A.Reject
B.Adapt
C.Refuse
D.Ignore
Step 4: Opposite Words
What is the opposite of 'accommodate'?
A.Assist
B.Incorporate
C.Reject
D.Support
Step 5: Mastery
How would you use 'accommodate' in a real-life situation?
A.Explain accommodating a pet in a new home.
B.Discuss accommodating a friend's opinion.
C.Describe accommodating a roommate's schedule.
D.Talk about accommodating dietary restrictions at a party.
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