Accommodate for vs. Accommodate to – Which is Correct?
When choosing between “accommodate for” and “accommodate to,” use “accommodate to” when you mean adapt to something, usually in “accommodate oneself to.” “Accommodate for” is generally nonstandard in edited American English; use “accommodate” directly or “allow for” instead. Thus, neither preposition fits every meaning. Choose carefully according to context.
Because spelling errors can obscure an otherwise clear distinction, review Accommodate vs. Accomodate before choosing either phrase.
Accommodate for or Accommodate to – Which Is Correct?
“Accommodate to” is the correct choice when you mean “adapt to” or “adjust to.” It is most natural when the object is a person or group adapting themselves to new circumstances: “She accommodated herself to the new schedule.”
“Accommodate for” is generally considered nonstandard in edited American English. Speakers sometimes use it because they are blending accommodate with allow for. In most cases, replace it with one of these structures:
- Accommodate + noun: “The hotel can accommodate large families.”
- Accommodate someone’s needs: “The school accommodated the student’s needs.”
- Accommodate oneself to + noun: “He accommodated himself to the change.”
- Allow for + noun: “The schedule allows for unexpected delays.”
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the swap test. If you can replace the phrase with “adapt to,” use “accommodate to,” usually with oneself. If you mean “make room for,” “meet the needs of,” or “take into account,” use accommodate without a preposition or use “allow for.”
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| accommodate for | Verb phrase; generally nonstandard | Usually intended to mean “allow for” or “accommodate” | Nonstandard: “The plan accommodates for delays.” Standard: “The plan allows for delays.” |
| accommodate to | Verb phrase | Adapt or adjust to something | “The new employee accommodated herself to the team’s routine.” |
How to Use Accommodate to
Accommodate to means to adapt to, adjust to, or become suited to a person, condition, environment, or set of expectations. In contemporary American English, it most often appears in the reflexive construction accommodate oneself to. The phrase is grammatically correct but somewhat formal, so everyday writing often uses adapt to or adjust to instead.
Do not confuse this meaning with the more common transitive use of accommodate, which means to provide space, meet a need, or make an adjustment for someone. For example, “The restaurant accommodated our group” does not mean that the restaurant adapted itself to us; it means that the restaurant found space for us or met our requirements.
Example 1: After moving abroad, Maya had to accommodate herself to unfamiliar customs.
Example 2: The organization accommodated itself to the demands of remote work.
Example 3: New students usually need time to accommodate themselves to the pace of university study.
Etymology of the Word Accommodate
Accommodate comes from the Latin verb accommodare, meaning “to make fit,” “adapt,” or “adjust.” It entered English through French and Latin-influenced forms in the sixteenth century. Its related meanings—providing room, meeting needs, and adapting—developed from the central idea of making something suitable or fitting.
Related Concepts
Understanding the different grammatical patterns of accommodate makes it easier to choose between a direct object, to, and for.
- Transitive verbs: A transitive verb takes a direct object. In “The theater accommodated the audience,” the audience directly receives the action, so no preposition is needed.
- Reflexive constructions: A reflexive pronoun such as oneself shows that the subject performs the action on itself. “The team accommodated itself to the new rules” means that the team adapted to those rules.
- Prepositional collocations: Some verbs conventionally pair with particular prepositions. The adaptation meaning of accommodate can take to, while allow commonly takes for.
- Redundant prepositions: A redundant preposition is an unnecessary addition caused by combining two familiar expressions. “Accommodate for” often results from blending accommodate with allow for.
Examples from Media and Literature
The following contexts illustrate the standard adaptation pattern with accommodate to and contrast it with the alternatives that professional writers normally choose.
- Historical writing: A biography may describe an immigrant who had to “accommodate herself to the language and customs of a new country.”
- Workplace reporting: A business article might explain that a company “accommodated itself to changing consumer expectations” after moving its services online.
- Educational writing: A study of university life may state that first-year students gradually “accommodate themselves to independent learning.”
- News-style usage: A report about an emergency response may correctly say, “The shelter accommodated displaced families,” meaning that it provided them with space.
- Planning language: A report should say, “The budget allows for unexpected costs,” rather than “The budget accommodates for unexpected costs.”
Accommodate to Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| adapt to | Change behavior or characteristics to suit new conditions |
| adjust to | Become accustomed or suited to a new situation |
| get used to | Become familiar or comfortable with something; more casual |
| conform to | Act in accordance with a rule, standard, or expectation |
| adapt oneself to | Deliberately modify one’s behavior to fit circumstances |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “accommodate for” grammatically correct?
“Accommodate for” is generally treated as nonstandard in edited American English. Use accommodate directly, as in “accommodate the customer,” or use allow for, as in “allow for delays.”
Question 2: Is it correct to say “accommodate to”?
Yes. Accommodate to is correct when it means “adapt to” or “adjust to.” The reflexive form is especially common: “She accommodated herself to the new environment.”
Question 3: Should I say “accommodate to” or “adapt to”?
Both can be correct when describing adjustment to circumstances. Adapt to is more common and natural in everyday American English, while accommodate oneself to often sounds more formal.
Question 4: What is the difference between “accommodate” and “allow for”?
Accommodate can mean provide space or meet a need: “The venue accommodated 500 guests.” Allow for means include or make provision for a possibility: “The estimate allows for higher material costs.”
Question 5: Is “accommodate someone’s needs” correct?
Yes. This is a standard construction. For example, “The employer accommodated the employee’s needs by providing a flexible schedule.” No preposition is required after accommodate in this meaning.
Conclusion
Use “accommodate to” when you mean “adapt to,” especially in the form accommodate oneself to. Avoid “accommodate for” in formal and professional writing; choose accommodate without a preposition or replace it with allow for. Pro Tip: Choosing the established grammatical pattern improves clarity and protects your professional reputation.
