adjustment

adjustment — noun

1. a minor tweak or correction that you make to a thing — its position, level, sett

1.nounB2
Definition

a minor tweak or correction that you make to a thing — its position, level, settings, or numbers — so that it works better, fits properly, or matches what is needed.

Example

Kofi made a tiny adjustment to the saddle height before riding off.

make an adjustment to [object]

The piano tuner made several careful adjustments to the wires inside.

plural: make adjustments to [object]

Common collocations
  • minor adjustment
  • make a small adjustment
  • fine adjustment
  • price adjustment
Synonyms
  • modification

    more formal; suggests a planned change to a design or system

  • tweak

    informal; emphasises that the change is very small

  • correction

    implies fixing something that was wrong

Grammar Patterns

adjustment to [something]

make an adjustment

Usage Note

Often takes the preposition 'to' before the thing being changed (an adjustment to the price, to the schedule). Frequently appears in the plural when several small fixes are made together.

Common Mistakes

I did an adjustment on my watch.
I made an adjustment to my watch.
the standard verb is 'make', and the preposition is 'to', not 'on'.
The mechanic gave a big adjustment to the engine.
The mechanic made a major adjustment to the engine.
use 'make', and 'major' fits better than 'big' in this collocation.

2. the slow process of changing the way you think, feel, or behave so that you can

2.nounB2
Definition

the slow process of changing the way you think, feel, or behave so that you can cope with a new place, job, or situation in your life.

Example

Moving from Taipei to Berlin took a long period of adjustment for the whole family.

period of adjustment

Hadiya found the adjustment to office life harder than he had expected.

adjustment to [new situation]

Common collocations
  • period of adjustment
  • difficult adjustment
  • social adjustment
  • emotional adjustment
Synonyms
  • adaptation

    more formal; often used about long-term or biological changes

  • acclimatization

    formal; especially about getting used to a new climate or environment

Grammar Patterns

adjustment to [new situation]

period of adjustment

Usage Note

Usually uncountable in this sense. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense describes a personal, internal process inside someone's mind or feelings, not a physical change to an object.

Common Mistakes

She had many adjustments to her new school.
She had a difficult adjustment to her new school.
in this sense the noun is uncountable, so avoid 'many adjustments'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe a change made to something, but they differ in scale and tone. An 'adjustment' is usually small, practical, and aimed at making something work or fit better — turning a dial, correcting a figure, fine-tuning a setting. A 'modification' is more deliberate and structural, often involving design or planning, like modifying a car engine or a software feature. An 'alteration' is the most neutral and general; it simply means a change, and is common when talking about clothing or buildings (an alteration to a dress, an alteration to the contract). A 'tweak' is informal and emphasises that the change is very minor and quick. Compare: a tailor makes alterations to a suit; an engineer makes modifications to the engine; the driver makes an adjustment to the mirror; a designer tweaks the colours.

adjustment ↗modification ↗alterationtweak

Common collocations

Nouns

  • price adjustment
  • salary adjustment
  • adjustment period
  • adjustment process

Adverbs

Phrases

  • make an adjustment
  • make adjustments
  • need some adjustment
  • require adjustment

Prepositions

  • adjustment to
  • adjustment in
  • adjustment for

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchFrenchEnglish

The word entered English in the early 1600s from French 'ajustement', built on the verb 'ajuster' meaning to bring close or to fit. That French verb traces back to a Latin idea of bringing things 'to a just measure' — the same root that gives us 'just' and 'justice'. The original sense in English was about arranging or settling something correctly, and from there the meaning broadened to cover both physical fine-tuning and the more modern psychological sense of a person settling into a new situation.