adopt
Make legally yours
Adopt means to take something as your own.
You adopt a child by legally becoming their parent, or adopt a pet by taking it home from a shelter.
More abstractly, you adopt a policy, an attitude, a strategy, or a way of life—choosing to embrace something that wasn't originally yours.
A legislative body adopts a resolution by formally accepting it.
We adopted a wait-and-see approach.
Person before puberty
- childrenYoung human beings
- orphanChild whose parents died
- orphanageInstitution housing parentless children
- fosterEncourage development of
placement · parent · parenting · guardianship · custody · home · household · son
Attentive regard for others
- raiseLift or increase
- rearBack portion or raise
- upbringingChildhood care and training
- fosterEncourage development of
nourish · cultivate · develop · mentor · guide · educate · train · support
Consent to receive
- welcomeHospitable greeting offered
- acceptanceConsent to receive
- take onAccept or confront
- chooseSelect from alternatives
commit · endorse · espouse · follow · practice · assume · approval · openness
Absorb into something larger
- integrateCombine into unified whole
- assimilateAbsorb and incorporate fully
- implementTool or enact
- applyPut into operation
use · borrow · appropriate · customize · tailor · modify · convert · transplant
child
Person before puberty
- childrenYoung human beings
- orphanChild whose parents died
- orphanageInstitution housing parentless children
foster · placement · parent · parenting · guardianship · custody · home · household · son · daughter
care
Attentive regard for others
- raiseLift or increase
- rearBack portion or raise
- upbringingChildhood care and training
foster · nourish · cultivate · develop · mentor · guide · educate · train · support · protect
accept
Consent to receive
- welcomeHospitable greeting offered
- acceptanceConsent to receive
- take onAccept or confront
choose · commit · endorse · espouse · follow · practice · assume · approval · openness · willingness
incorporate
Absorb into something larger
- integrateCombine into unified whole
- assimilateAbsorb and incorporate fully
- implementTool or enact
apply · use · borrow · appropriate · customize · tailor · modify · convert · transplant · localize
ratify
Formally confirm agreement
authorize · sanction · formalize · codify · resolution · legislation · statute · policy · reform · amendment
- early adopterFirst purchaser of innovations
- adoptive parentsLegal non-birth guardians
- pet adoptionAcquiring a homeless animal
- adoptive fatherMan who legally becomes parent
- adopted childMinor placed with new parents
- adopted sonNon-biological male child legally claimed
adoption, adopted, adopting, adopts, adoptions, adopters, adoptive, adopter, adoptee