Adopted vs Adoptive: Which is Correct?

Adopted and Adoptive are both adjectives, with converse meanings. Adopted describes the object of adopting, while adoptive describes the person who does the adopting. You probably already know that the verb adopt means “to become a child’s new legal parent” or “to accept anything as one’s own.”

It may be easiest to remember the meaning of adopted as it is simply the past tense of adopt:

They adopted a child who had lost his parents in the pandemic.

Their adopted child grew up to be very successful.

Then you can remember that adoptive is the other one, describing the adopters instead of the adoptees:

The child’s adoptive parents loved her very much.

The word "adopted" can also be used in a sentence to express that someone accepted a change or idea. To reinforce your undestanding of these words' proper usage, see the next sections for more example sentences.

How to Use Adopted in a Sentence: 10 Sentence Examples

1. She adopted her new puppy last week.
2. The family decided to adopt a dog because they had always wanted one but never seemed to have the money they knew they would need to care for it.
3. Many families are adopting dogs instead of buying them because they can't afford them anymore, which makes it difficult for shelters and rescue homes that rely on the sale of dogs to make money and survive off of donations alone.
4. "Let's adopt another cat!" my sister said as we walked out of the pet store.
5.  I adopted a new way of thinking. 
6. After she got married, she adopted her husband's surname as her own.
7. We are adopting a more rigorous academic curriculum in order to prepare them for college admissions tests.
8. We’re going to adopt a more patient approach with her now that we know she’s not just being difficult for the sake of being difficult.
9. He was adopted by his grandmother.
10. She wasn't sure if she wanted to adopt or not, but when she saw the little guy, she couldn't resist taking him home.

How to Use Adoptive in a Sentence: 10 Sentence Examples

1. Adoptive parents are thrilled to bring home a new baby.
2. He is an adoptive father who lives in the city and works as a lawyer.
3. My adoptive family made a huge difference in my life because they were always there for me when I needed them most.
4. Generally, adoptive parents are a diverse group of people, who share a common love for children and a desire to help.
5. If you are an adoptive parent, you are able to include your adopted child as a beneficiary for insurance purposes and other benefits.
6. I really admire adoptive mothers because they don't have biological children of their own, but they still love them just as much.
7. Adoptive fathers are often seen as secondary caregivers when in reality they play a huge role in raising their children too.
8. Aunt Beth was the adoptive mother of my youngest sister, Kylie.
9. The last time I saw my adoptive parents was when I was 18 years old.
10. The state of Missouri requires that adoptive parents be at least 21 years old; it is not a requirement that an adoptive parent be married.