Adaptive means able to change and adjust to new conditions or situations. When something is adaptive, it responds to its environment in helpful ways rather than staying rigid and unchanged.

In nature, animals show adaptive behavior when they adjust to survive: Arctic foxes grow thick white coats in winter, then shed them for thinner brown coats in summer. This adaptive coloring helps them hunt successfully year-round. Scientists call these changes adaptations, which help living things thrive in their environments.

People can be adaptive too. An adaptive student might try new study methods when their old approach stops working, or switch strategies mid-game when their team falls behind. Being adaptive means noticing what's happening around you and adjusting your approach accordingly.

In technology, adaptive systems change based on how people use them. An adaptive video game might get harder as you improve, keeping the challenge interesting. Adaptive cruise control in cars adjusts your speed automatically based on traffic around you.

The opposite of adaptive would be rigid or inflexible: imagine trying to wear the same clothes whether it's freezing or sweltering, or insisting on the same schedule even when circumstances change completely. Adaptive people and systems stay effective because they can flex and change when needed.