Accommodation means making adjustments or changes to help someone's needs or situation. When a teacher gives a student with dyslexia extra time on tests, that's an accommodation. When a restaurant adds a ramp for wheelchair users, that's an accommodation. The word suggests flexibility and thoughtfulness: you're changing something to make it work better for everyone involved.

In everyday life, accommodation often means finding a way for different people or needs to coexist. When your family accommodates your vegetarian cousin at Thanksgiving by making special dishes she can eat, you're adjusting your plans to include her. When friends accommodate each other's schedules to find a time everyone can meet, they're being flexible and considerate.

The word can also mean a place to stay, especially when traveling. Hotels, motels, and bed-and-breakfasts all provide accommodations for travelers. If you're planning a vacation, you need to arrange accommodations: somewhere to sleep and keep your belongings.

In vision, your eyes make constant accommodations by adjusting their focus when you look from something close (like a book) to something far away (like a bird in a tree). Your eye muscles accommodate automatically, though you rarely notice it happening.