Adjusting refers to the act of making small changes or adaptations to fit conditions, needs, or preferences. It can describe modifying settings, aligning components, or altering behavior in response to feedback or new information. The term emphasizes calibration and practical fine-tuning rather than broad overhaul.
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"She spent the afternoon adjusting the telescope's focus for a clearer view."
"The company is adjusting its budget to accommodate unexpected expenses."
"He was adjusting to life in a new city after the move."
"We’re adjusting the recipe to reduce sugar without sacrificing flavor."
Adjusting derives from the verb adjust, which comes from the Old French ajuster, from late Latin ad- ‘to’ + iustus ‘just, right’ (related to ‘justice’). The sense of bringing into conformity or alignment evolved in Middle English by the 14th century, initially in legal and financial contexts as arranging terms to fit a standard. By the 17th–18th centuries, adjusting expanded to mechanical and practical domains, such as aligning components or calibrating instruments. The noun form adjusting appears in the 18th–19th centuries in mechanical engineering and accounting, signaling the ongoing emphasis on fine-tuning and correction. Over time, the word broadened into daily language: a person can be adjusting to change, adjusting settings on a device, or adjusting a plan in response to new information. First known use as a gerund-participle form appears in technical writing, reflecting its role as an ongoing action rather than a completed adjustment. Today, adjusting is deeply embedded in productivity, engineering, design, and personal adaptation, retaining its core sense of careful, incremental alignment. The historical arc: Latin roots → French influence → Middle English adoption → Early modern science and industry adoption → contemporary general usage in settings from technology to life management.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "adjusting" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "adjusting" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "adjusting"
-ing sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Say ə-ˈdʒʌs.tɪŋ, with primary stress on the second syllable (-dʒʌs-). The initial vowel is a schwa, the J is the soft dʒ sound as in judge, the middle is the main stressed syllable with the s as in sun, and the ending is -ɪŋ. Use a quick, clipped second syllable and avoid over-enunciating the trailing -ɪŋ. For audio reference, listen to native speakers in Forvo or YouGlish saying ‘adjusting.’
Two common errors: (1) misplacing the primary stress on the first syllable (ə-DJUS-ting) or flattening the second syllable; ensure the stress stays on -dʒʌs-, not on the -ɪŋ ending. (2) pronouncing the -dʒ- as a hard j sound without the following schwa, making it too tense. Correction: keep a light, reduced vowel in the first syllable, then crisp but not exaggerated -dʒʌs-; end with a clean -ɪŋ. Listening to native examples helps fix this.
US/UK/AU pronunciation shares /əˈdʒʌs.tɪŋ/ structure, but vowel quality and rhythm differ. US often reduces the first syllable and maintains a clear /ˈdʒʌs/; UK may have slightly crisper consonants and very subtle vowel shifts in /ɒ/ vs /ʌ/ in other words; AU generally keeps a flatter intonation with more pronounced final -ɪŋ in casual speech. The rhoticity in US accents can affect surrounding vowels in connected speech, but the core segments remain /ə/ (schwa), /ˈdʒʌs/, and /-tɪŋ/ across regions.
The challenge lies in the cluster /dʒ/ immediately followed by /s/ within a stressed syllable; the transition between /t/ and /ɪ/ in -tɪŋ can feel tight, especially in rapid speech. Also, maintaining a reduced first syllable while emphasizing the middle /dʒʌs/ requires precise mouth positioning: lips rounded slightly for /dʒ/, tongue blade close to the ridge for /ʒ/ sound-like sequence, then a quick release into /tɪŋ/. Practicing slow, then normal speed helps stabilize this sequence.
Yes—the gerund form often carries a subtle rhythm cue: the stress is on the second syllable, not the final -ing, which can be easy to misplace in fast speech. Additionally, speakers frequently reduce the first syllable to a weak schwa, so you want a clean, light /ə/ before the primary stress, then a crisp /dʒʌs/ followed by a quick /tɪŋ/. This combination differentiates adjusting from words with similar endings like “adjustment” where the stress pattern shifts.
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