Synonyms of Accommodate: Meanings, Usage, and Practical Examples

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“Accommodate” is a highly versatile verb in English, with meanings that range from providing lodging or space, to adapting, making adjustments, or meeting specific needs. Its central role in both spoken and written communication makes it a key word for anyone seeking to express hospitality, flexibility, or responsiveness.

Understanding the synonyms of “accommodate” is essential for expanding your vocabulary, adding variety to your writing, and expressing nuanced ideas. By mastering these synonyms, you can communicate more precisely in academic, professional, and everyday contexts.

This comprehensive article explores the full spectrum of “accommodate” synonyms. You will find clear definitions, organized categories, grammatical structures, practical usage rules, common mistakes, and extensive practice exercises.

Tables and examples provide visual clarity and real-world context.

Target Audience: This guide is designed for English learners (intermediate to advanced), teachers, writers, and professionals who want to enhance their language skills.

By the end, you will gain improved writing, speaking, and comprehension through a deeper understanding of “accommodate” and its many related words.

Table of Contents

3. DEFINITION SECTION

3.1. What Does “Accommodate” Mean?

Accommodate (verb): To provide with something desired, needed, or suited. Its most common meanings include:

  • To provide lodging or space for someone or something (e.g., “The hotel can accommodate 200 guests.”).
  • To adapt or adjust to circumstances (e.g., “She accommodated to the new environment.”).
  • To meet a need, wish, or request (e.g., “We try to accommodate all dietary preferences.”).
  • To make room, allow for, or make concessions (e.g., “The plan was changed to accommodate his request.”).

Grammatical Role: “Accommodate” is primarily used as a transitive verb.

3.2. Overview of Synonyms

Synonyms are words or phrases that have the same or nearly the same meaning as another word in certain contexts. Seeking synonyms for “accommodate” helps you avoid repetition and choose words that fit the precise situation, tone, or nuance you need.

Table 1: Comparison of “Accommodate” and Common Synonyms
Word Main Meaning Typical Context Formality
accommodate Provide lodging; adapt; meet needs Hotels, requests, adaptation Formal/Neutral
house Provide a place to live Housing, shelters Neutral
host Receive/entertain guests Events, hospitality Neutral
adapt Change to fit new conditions Personal, organizational change Neutral
cater to/for Provide for specific needs Services, events, food Neutral
put up Let someone stay temporarily Informal hospitality Informal
facilitate Make an action/process easier Meetings, business, education Formal

3.3. Contextual Usage

“Accommodate” is used in a variety of contexts:

  • Hospitality: “The inn can accommodate 40 guests.”
  • Adjustment: “She accommodated quickly to the new system.”
  • Facilities/Services: “The hall accommodates wheelchair users.”
  • Compromise/Exceptions: “We accommodated his special needs.”

Register & Formality: “Accommodate” is generally formal to neutral. Its synonyms range from highly formal (“facilitate”) to informal (“put up”).

4. STRUCTURAL BREAKDOWN

4.1. Grammatical Classification of Synonyms

Most synonyms for “accommodate” are verbs, but some can function as nouns or adjectives.

Table 2: Synonyms by Part of Speech
Word Verb Noun Adjective Example
accommodate ✔ ✖ ✖ We accommodate guests.
house ✔ ✖ ✖ The shelter houses families.
host ✔ ✔ ✖ They host events. / She is the host.
adapt ✔ ✖ ✖ We adapted to changes.
adjust ✔ ✖ ✖ He adjusted his plans.
cater ✔ ✖ ✖ They cater for vegetarians.
facilitate ✔ ✖ ✖ She facilitates meetings.
concession ✖ ✔ ✖ We made a concession.
shelter ✔ ✔ ✖ The barn shelters animals.

4.2. Sentence Patterns with Synonyms

Common patterns:

  • Subject + verb + object: “The hotel accommodates guests.”
  • Passive voice: “Guests are accommodated by the hotel.”
  • Infinitives/Gerunds: “We try to accommodate everyone.”

See how synonyms fit into these patterns:

Table 3: Patterns with Sample Sentences
Pattern Accommodate Synonym
Subject + verb + object The hotel accommodates the guests. The hotel hosts the guests.
Passive voice The guests are accommodated by the staff. The guests are put up by the staff.
Infinitive We try to accommodate everyone. We try to cater for everyone.
Gerund Accommodating changes is necessary. Adapting to changes is necessary.

4.3. Collocations and Prepositions

Each synonym frequently combines with specific prepositions or nouns:

  • accommodate needs/requests/guests
  • adjust to (adjust to new conditions)
  • adapt to/for (adapt to changes, adapt for use)
  • cater for/to (cater for children, cater to preferences)
  • conform to (conform to rules)
  • put up with (tolerate, not provide lodging!)

Typical noun collocations: needs, requirements, requests, guests, plans, changes, circumstances.

4.4. Register and Tone

Some synonyms are more suitable for formal contexts, others for informal speech:

  • Formal: “facilitate,” “provide for,” “accommodate”
  • Neutral: “house,” “host,” “adapt,” “adjust”
  • Informal: “put up,” “fix up”

Always match the synonym’s formality to your context (e.g., avoid “put up” in academic writing).

5. TYPES OR CATEGORIES OF SYNONYMS

5.1. Synonyms by Meaning Nuance

5.1.1. Synonyms meaning “to provide lodging or space”

  • house (The center houses 50 people.)
  • host (They host refugees.)
  • shelter (The barn shelters animals.)
  • lodge (They lodged the visitors.)
  • put up (She put me up for the night.)

5.1.2. Synonyms meaning “to adapt or adjust”

  • adapt (He adapted to his new job.)
  • adjust (They adjusted their schedule.)
  • conform (She conformed to the rules.)
  • fit (The shoes fit his feet.)
  • adapt oneself (They adapted themselves to the climate.)

5.1.3. Synonyms meaning “to meet needs or requirements”

  • serve (We serve our customers well.)
  • meet (The plan meets the requirements.)
  • fulfill (We fulfill your wishes.)
  • cater to/for (We cater for special diets.)
  • satisfy (The solution satisfies everyone.)

5.1.4. Synonyms meaning “to make allowances or exceptions”

  • make room for
  • allow for
  • make concessions
  • yield

5.2. Synonyms by Formality

Table 4: Synonyms Organized by Formality and Context
Formality Synonyms Example Context
Formal accommodate, facilitate, provide for, yield, make concessions Official reports, academic, business
Neutral house, host, adapt, adjust, meet, serve, shelter, satisfy General writing, journalism, conversation
Informal put up, fix up, make room for Everyday speech, friendly emails

5.3. Synonyms by Frequency and Region

  • Common synonyms: house, host, adapt, cater, serve, adjust
  • Rare/idiomatic: put up, make room for, yield (as “make concessions”)
  • British preference: “cater for” (BrE), “put up” (BrE/AmE)
  • American preference: “cater to” (AmE), “host”

6. EXAMPLES SECTION

6.1. Basic Sentences with Each Synonym

Table 5: Simple Examples with “Accommodate” Replaced by Synonyms
Accommodate Synonym Example
accommodate house The building can house 100 students.
accommodate host The gallery hosted 50 artists last year.
accommodate adapt They adapted to the new schedule.
accommodate cater for The menu caters for vegans.
accommodate put up My friend put me up for a week.
accommodate facilitate The app facilitates communication.
accommodate shelter The barn shelters the horses.
accommodate adjust She adjusted her plans to the new deadline.

6.2. Contextualized Examples by Category

6.2.1. Lodging/Space

  • “Can you accommodate three more guests?” → “Can you house three more guests?”
  • “The shelter accommodates fifty people.” → “The shelter hosts fifty people.”
  • “They accommodated us for the night.” → “They put us up for the night.”

6.2.2. Adaptation/Adjustment

  • “He accommodated to the new rules.” → “He adapted to the new rules.”
  • “They accommodated their plans to the schedule.” → “They adjusted their plans to the schedule.”
  • “The system accommodates different formats.” → “The system adapts to different formats.”

6.2.3. Meeting Needs/Requirements

  • “The restaurant accommodates vegetarians.” → “The restaurant caters to vegetarians.”
  • “We accommodate your requests.” → “We fulfill your requests.”
  • “The program accommodates all levels.” → “The program serves all levels.”

6.2.4. Exceptions/Allowances

  • “We accommodated his disability.” → “We made allowances for his disability.”
  • “The schedule was changed to accommodate her travel.” → “The schedule was changed to allow for her travel.”
  • “They accommodated late submissions.” → “They made concessions for late submissions.”

6.3. Complex Sentences and Advanced Usage

  • Although the conference center is designed to accommodate up to 500 participants, it can also be adapted for smaller workshops.
  • The curriculum was specifically adjusted to serve the requirements of international students whose first language is not English.
  • In order to accommodate the needs of all attendees, the organizers made several concessions regarding dietary restrictions.
  • The hotel, which had previously hosted several international summits, was chosen to house the delegates for the event.
  • Any software that can facilitate collaboration between remote teams will be highly valued by modern businesses.

6.4. Comparative Examples

Table 6: Synonym Pairs in Parallel Sentences
Accommodate (Original) Synonym (Replacement) Note
The shelter accommodates families. The shelter houses families. Direct replacement; same meaning.
The hotel can accommodate 200 guests. The hotel can host 200 guests. Host emphasizes the act of entertaining.
We accommodate dietary restrictions. We cater to dietary restrictions. Cater to is more common for food-related needs.
The plan was changed to accommodate new data. The plan was changed to allow for new data. Allow for is more idiomatic here.
They accommodated their opinions to the majority. They conformed to the majority. Conform is more formal and less flexible.
We try to accommodate all requests. We try to fulfill all requests. Fulfill implies completion or satisfaction.

6.5. Error Correction Examples

  • ❌ “The hotel can adapt 300 people.” → ✔ “The hotel can accommodate/house/host 300 people.”
  • ❌ “We put up dietary needs.” → ✔ “We cater to dietary needs.”
  • ❌ “The plan was adjusted for his disability.” → ✔ “Allowances were made for his disability.”
  • ❌ “They facilitated us for the night.” → ✔ “They put us up for the night.”

6.6. Summary Table: 40+ Examples by Category (Table 7)

Table 7: 40+ Example Sentences by Synonym and Category
Category Synonym Example Sentence
Lodging house The hostel can house fifty students.
Lodging host They hosted us for a week.
Lodging put up Could you put me up tonight?
Lodging lodge The museum lodges visiting scholars.
Lodging shelter The cave sheltered the climbers from the storm.
Adaptation adapt She adapted to life abroad quickly.
Adaptation adjust We adjusted our schedule to fit yours.
Adaptation conform The design conforms to industry standards.
Adaptation fit The new equipment fits our requirements.
Adaptation adapt oneself They adapted themselves to the climate.
Meeting Needs serve The program serves diverse communities.
Meeting Needs meet The building meets all safety regulations.
Meeting Needs fulfill We strive to fulfill all requests.
Meeting Needs cater to The event caters to young professionals.
Meeting Needs satisfy This plan satisfies our requirements.
Allowances make room for We made room for her in the car.
Allowances allow for The budget allows for unexpected expenses.
Allowances make concessions He made concessions to reach an agreement.
Allowances yield The city yielded to public demand.
Facilitation facilitate The teacher facilitates discussion.
General accommodate The venue can accommodate up to 300 guests.
General accommodate We accommodate special requests.
General accommodate They accommodated their schedule to ours.
General accommodate The course accommodates all levels.
General accommodate Can you accommodate my late arrival?
General accommodate We try to accommodate everyone.
General accommodate The hotel accommodates pets.
General accommodate The school accommodates students with disabilities.
General accommodate They accommodated his request for more time.
General accommodate The new design accommodates both style and function.
General accommodate The train can accommodate bicycles.
General accommodate The company accommodates remote workers.
General accommodate The law accommodates religious practices.
General accommodate The hospital accommodates patients with special needs.
General accommodate The agreement accommodates both parties’ interests.
General accommodate We accommodate changes in the schedule.
General accommodate The school accommodates various learning styles.
General accommodate They accommodated us by staying open late.
General accommodate Can you accommodate a last-minute registration?

7. USAGE RULES

7.1. Choosing the Right Synonym

Match the synonym to:

  • Context: Use “house,” “host,” “put up” for lodging; “adapt,” “adjust” for change; “cater,” “fulfill” for needs.
  • Formality: Select “facilitate” or “provide for” for formal writing; “put up” for informal speech.

7.2. Grammatical Constraints

  • Transitive verbs: Most synonyms require a direct object (e.g., “accommodate guests,” “house refugees”).
  • Prepositions: Some require specific prepositions (“adjust to,” “cater for,” “conform to”).
  • Not always interchangeable: “Put up” means allow someone to stay, but never “adjust to.”

7.3. Common Exceptions & Special Cases

  • “Host” cannot always replace “accommodate” in the sense of “adapt.”
  • “Put up” is informal and only refers to lodging, not adaptation or fulfilling needs.
  • “Facilitate” means to make something easier, not to provide space.

7.4. Idiomatic Expressions

  • Put up with = tolerate (not provide lodging)
  • Make room for = allow space or opportunity
  • Bend over backwards = make a great effort to help/accommodate

7.5. Register and Tone Rules

  • Formal: “accommodate,” “facilitate,” “provide for,” “yield,” “make concessions”
  • Informal: “put up,” “fix up,” “make room for”
  • Neutral: “house,” “host,” “meet,” “serve,” “adjust,” “adapt”

8. COMMON MISTAKES

8.1. Overgeneralization

  • Using “accommodate” in all contexts instead of a more precise synonym (“cater” for food service, “adapt” for change).

8.2. Wrong Collocation

  • Incorrect: “Put up dietary needs.” Correct: “Cater to dietary needs.”
  • Incorrect: “Adjust for the guests.” Correct: “Accommodate the guests.”

8.3. Register Misuse

  • Using “put up” in a formal email: “We can put up your team in our hotel.” Better: “We can accommodate your team.”

8.4. Confusion with Similar Words

  • “Accommodate” (verb), “accommodating” (adjective: helpful), “accommodation” (noun: place to stay).
  • Incorrect: “We offer accommodating for guests.” Correct: “We offer accommodation for guests.”

8.5. Correct vs. Incorrect Example Table (Table 8)

Table 8: Correct vs. Incorrect Synonym Usage
Incorrect Correction Comment
The hotel can adapt 200 people. The hotel can accommodate/house 200 people. Adapt is for change, not lodging.
We put up dietary needs. We cater to dietary needs. Put up is only for lodging.
The plan was adjusted for his disability. Allowances were made for his disability. Adjustment is not the best fit for exceptions.
They facilitated us for the night. They put us up for the night. Facilitate is to make something easier, not lodging.
We offer accommodating for guests. We offer accommodation for guests. Wrong word form.
The restaurant hosts vegetarians. The restaurant caters to vegetarians. Host is not used for food service needs.
The school fulfills children with disabilities. The school accommodates children with disabilities. Fulfills the needs, not the children.

9. PRACTICE EXERCISES

9.1. Fill-in-the-Blank Exercises

  1. The center can ________ up to 200 visitors at a time.
  2. We try to ________ all special dietary needs.
  3. He ________ to the new environment quickly.
  4. The organization will ________ the conference next year.
  5. They ________ us for two nights during our trip.
  6. The plan was changed to ________ the latest information.
  7. Our facility ________ people with disabilities.
  8. The program ________ for students of all ages.
  9. We had to ________ our plans because of the weather.
  10. The budget was adjusted to ________ for extra expenses.

9.2. Error Correction Drills

  1. The hotel can adapt large groups.
  2. We put up dietary restrictions.
  3. The teacher hosted our questions.
  4. We try to facilitate everyone’s wishes.
  5. The plan was conformed for new requirements.
  6. They fulfilled us for two nights.
  7. The program adjusts children with special needs.
  8. The staff accommodates with late checkouts.

9.3. Synonym Matching

Match the sentence with the best synonym for “accommodate”.
Sentence Best Synonym
The school ________ children with disabilities. serves / accommodates
The conference will ________ over 1000 delegates. host
The design was changed to ________ a larger screen. allow for
My friend ________ me for the weekend. put up
The menu ________ for people with allergies. caters

9.4. Sentence Construction

  1. Write a sentence using “facilitate” in the context of a meeting.
  2. Create a sentence with “cater to” about a restaurant.
  3. Use “adjust” to describe a change in travel plans.
  4. Write a sentence with “house” about an apartment building.
  5. Use “make room for” in a sentence about a crowded event.

9.5. Multiple-Choice Questions

  1. The hostel can ________ up to 60 students.
    a) adapt
    b) house
    c) adjust
    d) conform
  2. We will ________ your request if possible.
    a) accommodate
    b) host
    c) put up
    d) fit
  3. The event ________ to young professionals.
    a) houses
    b) caters
    c) adjusts
    d) fulfills
  4. She quickly ________ to the new culture.
    a) houses
    b) adapts
    c) puts up
    d) serve
  5. We had to ________ for the extra guests.
    a) adapt
    b) make room
    c) facilitate
    d) cater
  6. The changes were made to ________ the needs of all users.
    a) adjust
    b) fulfill
    c) conform
    d) yield
  7. The apartment complex ________ many families.
    a) hosts
    b) houses
    c) puts up
    d) makes room
  8. We ________ our schedule to fit yours.
    a) put up
    b) adjust
    c) house
    d) serve
  9. The school ________ for students with disabilities.
    a) caters
    b) houses
    c) makes room
    d) adapts
  10. The plan was changed to ________ the new timeline.
    a) allow for
    b) put up
    c) conform
    d) fulfill

9.6. Practice Exercises Table with Answers (Table 9)

Table 9: Practice Exercises and Answers
Exercise Answer/Solution Explanation
Fill-in #1 accommodate/house/host All fit ‘up to 200 visitors’
Fill-in #2 accommodate/cater to/meet/fulfill All fit ‘special dietary needs’
Fill-in #3 adapted Adapt to new environment
Fill-in #4 host Host a conference
Fill-in #5 put up/housed Provide lodging
Fill-in #6 accommodate/allow for Changed to fit new info
Fill-in #7 accommodates/serves/caters for Facility for disabilities
Fill-in #8 caters/serves/accommodates Program for all ages
Fill-in #9 adjust Change plans
Fill-in #10 allow Make a budget allowance
Error 1 accommodate/house Adapt is not lodging
Error 2 cater to Put up is lodging, not needs
Error 3 answered Host is not used for questions
Error 4 accommodate/fulfill Facilitate is not for wishes
Error 5 was changed/adjusted Conformed is not used this way
Error 6 put up Fulfill is not used for lodging
Error 7 accommodates/caters to Adjust is not for people
Error 8 accommodate/provide Accommodate with is incorrect
Matching 1 serves/accommodates Appropriate for disabilities
Matching 2 host Conference context
Matching 3 allow for Design/engineering
Matching 4 put up Informal lodging
Matching 5 caters Food menu context
MCQ 1 b) house Hostel provides rooms
MCQ 2 a) accommodate Meet a request
MCQ 3 b) caters Event for a group
MCQ 4 b) adapts Adjust to a new culture
MCQ 5 b) make room Allow space for others
MCQ 6 b) fulfill Meet needs
MCQ 7 b) houses Apartment for families
MCQ 8 b) adjust Change schedule
MCQ 9 a) caters Food for disabilities
MCQ 10 a) allow for Change plan for timeline

10. ADVANCED TOPICS

10.1. Subtle Nuances Among Synonyms

  • Facilitate vs. accommodate: “Facilitate” means to make something easier (e.g., “facilitate discussion”), while “accommodate” means to provide for or adapt to (e.g., “accommodate requests”).
  • Cater to vs. serve: “Cater to” is more specific, often about special needs or preferences; “serve” is broader.

10.2. Synonyms in Academic and Professional Writing

  • Use “facilitate,” “accommodate,” “provide for,” “fulfill,” and “meet” for clarity and formality.
  • Avoid informal synonyms like “put up” in reports or essays.

10.3. Synonyms in Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

  • Put up with (tolerate): “Sometimes we must put up with delays.”
  • Make room for: “We made room for another guest.”
  • Bend over backwards: “They bent over backwards to accommodate us.”

10.4. Regional and Cultural Variations

  • “Cater for” is common in British English; “cater to” in American English.
  • “Put up” for lodging is more common in British English, but understood in American English.

10.5. Historical Development of “Accommodate” and Its Synonyms

“Accommodate” comes from the Latin “accommodatus,” meaning “to make fit.” Over centuries, its meaning expanded from physical fitting to include adaptation and service. Other synonyms, like “host” (from Old French) and “cater” (from Old English “catour” – buyer of provisions), also have roots reflecting hospitality and provision.

11. FAQ SECTION

  1. What are the most common synonyms for “accommodate”?
    House, host, adapt, adjust, cater, serve, fulfill, put up, and provide for.
  2. How do I choose the right synonym for a specific context?
    Consider the meaning you want (lodging, adaptation, service), the formality, and if the word is commonly used in that context.
  3. Is “host” always interchangeable with “accommodate”?
    No. “Host” refers to receiving or entertaining guests, not adapting or making allowances.
  4. What is the difference between “adapt” and “adjust” as synonyms?
    “Adapt” is to change yourself to fit; “adjust” is to alter something to fit new conditions.
  5. Can “cater to” replace “accommodate” in all situations?
    No. “Cater to” is mostly for providing services or food, not for adaptation or lodging.
  6. Are there formal and informal synonyms for “accommodate”?
    Yes. Formal: “facilitate,” “provide for.” Informal: “put up,” “fix up.”
  7. What prepositions are used with these synonyms?
    “Adapt to,” “adjust to,” “cater for/to,” “conform to,” “allow for.”
  8. Is “accommodate” more common in British or American English?
    It is common in both, but some synonyms differ: “cater for” (BrE), “cater to” (AmE).
  9. What are common mistakes when using synonyms of “accommodate”?
    Mixing up forms, wrong collocations, using an informal word in formal writing, or mismatching the meaning.
  10. How can I practice using these synonyms correctly?
    Use contextual exercises, fill-in-the-blanks, synonym matching, and write your own sentences. See our exercises section above!
  11. Are there idioms or phrasal verbs that mean “accommodate”?
    “Put up (with),” “make room for,” “bend over backwards,” and “allow for” are common idiomatic expressions.
  12. What are rare or advanced synonyms for “accommodate”?
    “Yield” (to make concessions), “make allowances for,” “lodge” (as a verb), and “provision” (as a noun).

12. CONCLUSION

Choosing the right synonym for “accommodate” is essential for clarity and nuance in English. By understanding the specific meanings, structures, and contexts of each synonym, you can avoid common errors and enrich your communication.

Key takeaways:

  • Master the subtle differences between synonyms,
  • Match your word choice to context and formality,
  • Practice regularly with exercises and examples, and
  • Refer to this resource whenever you need variety or precision in your writing or speech.

Continue to expand your vocabulary and experiment with synonyms in different contexts. With practice, you will achieve greater clarity, variety, and skill in your English communication!

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