adoptive
adjective
adop·tive
ə-ˈdäp-tiv 
1
: made or acquired by adoption
the adoptive father
2
: of or relating to adoption
adoptively
adverb
Examples of adoptive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The note written on the flyleaf eerily predicts the future of the host, who would become my maternal grandmother and, six years after I was born, my legal adoptive mother.
—
Darcy Ballantyne
july 16, Literary Hub, 16 July 2025
Crushed and humiliated, Rumi flees the stage and confronts her adoptive mother, Celine (Yunjin Kim), begging for an end to it all.
—Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 15 July 2025
Devastated, Rumi flees and confronts her adoptive mother, Celine (Yunjin Kim), even asking her to end her life.
—Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 12 July 2025
In January 2015, John Lee, 29, killed three people, including his adoptive mother, and injured a fourth during a shooting rampage in Moscow.
—Idaho Statesman, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for adoptive
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Darcy Ballantyne
july 16, Literary Hub, 16 July 2025
Crushed and humiliated, Rumi flees the stage and confronts her adoptive mother, Celine (Yunjin Kim), begging for an end to it all.
—Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 15 July 2025
Devastated, Rumi flees and confronts her adoptive mother, Celine (Yunjin Kim), even asking her to end her life.
—Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 12 July 2025
In January 2015, John Lee, 29, killed three people, including his adoptive mother, and injured a fourth during a shooting rampage in Moscow.
—Idaho Statesman, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for adoptive
Cite this Entry
“Adoptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adoptive. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
adoptive
adjective
adop·tive
ə-ˈdäp-tiv
: made by or associated with adoption
the adoptive parents
Legal Definition
adoptive
adjective
adop·tive
ə-ˈdäp-tiv
1
a
: having adopted
an adoptive parent
b
: having been adopted
an adoptive child
2
: made or acquired by accepting as one's own the words or actions of another
to constitute an adoptive admission…defendant must actually understand what was said and have an opportunity to deny it—United States v. White, 766 F. Supp. 873 (1991)
United States v. White, 766 F. Supp. 873 (1991)Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share