The correct spelling is accommodate.
Accomodate is a misspelling. The standard word has two c’s and two m’s:
a-c-c-o-m-m-o-d-a-t-e
Correct: The hotel can accommodate 200 guests.
Incorrect: The hotel can accomodate 200 guests.
A simple way to remember it: accommodate has room for two c’s and two m’s.
Use accommodate in all standard English writing.
| Word | Correct? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| accommodate | Yes | Correct spelling with two c’s and two m’s |
| accomodate | No | Misspelling with only one m |
| acommodate | No | Misspelling with only one c |
| accomadate | No | Misspelling with the wrong vowel pattern |
Accommodate is the only correct spelling in American English and British English.
What Does Accommodate Mean?
Accommodate is a verb. It means to provide space, make room, give someone what is needed, or adjust to fit a situation.
Merriam-Webster defines accommodate as providing something “desired, needed, or suited,” while Cambridge gives meanings such as providing a place to live or giving someone what is needed.
Examples:
- The room can accommodate six people.
- We can accommodate your request for a later appointment.
- The restaurant can accommodate guests with food allergies.
- The school provided extra time to accommodate the student’s needs.
- The software was updated to accommodate more users.
Why Is Accommodate So Easy To Misspell?
Writers often misspell accommodate because it has two double-letter pairs close together:
- cc
- mm
When spoken, the double letters are not obvious. The word sounds smooth: uh-KOM-uh-dayt. Because you do not hear a clear break between the two m’s, accomodate can look believable at first glance.
The correct spelling keeps both pairs:
a + cc + o + mm + odate
Accommodate Or Accomodate In Sentences
Use accommodate, not accomodate.
Incorrect: We will try to accomodate your schedule.
Correct: We will try to accommodate your schedule.
Incorrect: The venue can accomodate 500 people.
Correct: The venue can accommodate 500 people.
Incorrect: The office was redesigned to accomodate wheelchair users.
Correct: The office was redesigned to accommodate wheelchair users.
Incorrect: Can you accomodate one more guest?
Correct: Can you accommodate one more guest?
Common Ways To Use Accommodate
To Mean Hold Or Have Room For
Use accommodate when talking about capacity.
Examples:
- The theater can accommodate 900 people.
- This table can accommodate eight guests.
- The parking lot can accommodate 120 cars.
To Mean Provide Lodging
Use accommodate when a hotel, house, dorm, or room can provide a place to stay.
Examples:
- The hotel can accommodate our entire group.
- The guesthouse can accommodate families with children.
- The resort can accommodate wedding guests for the weekend.
To Mean Adjust For A Need
Use accommodate when someone changes a plan, space, policy, or service to meet a need.
Examples:
- The restaurant can accommodate gluten-free diets.
- The company adjusted the workspace to accommodate employees with disabilities.
- The teacher changed the deadline to accommodate the student’s situation.
To Mean Fit Something Into A Schedule
Use accommodate when making room for an appointment, meeting, deadline, or request.
Examples:
- I can accommodate a call on Friday afternoon.
- The schedule cannot accommodate another meeting today.
- We moved the deadline to accommodate the client’s review.
Related Forms Of Accommodate
The same double-letter pattern appears in related words.
| Correct Form | Incorrect Form |
|---|---|
| accommodate | accomodate |
| accommodates | accomodates |
| accommodated | accomodated |
| accommodating | accomodating |
| accommodation | accomodation |
| accommodations | accomodations |
Examples:
- She was very accommodating.
- The hotel provided accommodation for the guests.
- The school offered testing accommodations.
- The company accommodated the customer’s request.
Accommodation vs. Accommodate
Accommodate is the verb.
Example: The hotel can accommodate 300 guests.
Accommodation is the noun.
Example: The hotel provided accommodation for 300 guests.
In US English, accommodations often means special arrangements made to meet someone’s needs.
Example: The student received testing accommodations.
Pronunciation Of Accommodate
Accommodate is commonly pronounced:
uh-KOM-uh-dayt
The stress falls on the second syllable: KOM.
That pronunciation can make the spelling harder because the double cc and double mm are not strongly heard. The written word still needs both.
Word Origin Of Accommodate
Accommodate comes from Latin accommodare, meaning “to make fit” or “adapt.”
That origin fits the modern meaning. When you accommodate someone or something, you make room, adjust, or make something suitable.
Synonyms For Accommodate
The best synonym depends on the meaning.
| Meaning | Better Synonyms |
|---|---|
| Capacity | hold, seat, contain, fit |
| Lodging | house, lodge, put up |
| Requests | help, oblige, meet |
| Needs | support, adapt to, make suitable for |
| Plans | adjust, allow for, make room for |
Examples:
- The hall can hold 500 people.
- The hotel can house 80 guests.
- We adjusted the plan to allow for travel time.
- The policy was updated to support employees with different needs.
Do not replace accommodate automatically. In formal or professional writing, accommodate is often the most precise word.
When A Simpler Word May Be Better
Accommodate is correct, but it can sound formal. In casual writing, a simpler word may work better.
Formal: We can accommodate your request.
Simpler: We can help with your request.
Formal: The room can accommodate 40 people.
Simpler: The room can fit 40 people.
Formal: We adjusted the schedule to accommodate the client.
Simpler: We changed the schedule to make room for the client.
Use accommodate when you want a polished, precise word. Use a simpler synonym when the sentence sounds too stiff.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
Dropping The Second M
Wrong: accomodate
Right: accommodate
Dropping One C
Wrong: acommodate
Right: accommodate
Misspelling Accommodation
Wrong: accomodation
Right: accommodation
Using The Wrong Related Form
Wrong: She was very accomodating.
Right: She was very accommodating.
Wrong: The company accomodated our request.
Right: The company accommodated our request.
Correct Examples Of Accommodate
- The hotel can accommodate our family.
- The room can accommodate twenty students.
- We can accommodate your request for an earlier appointment.
- The restaurant can accommodate dairy-free meals.
- The software can accommodate more users after the update.
- The team changed the timeline to accommodate the new deadline.
- The office added ramps to accommodate wheelchair users.
- The teacher gave extra time to accommodate the student’s needs.
- The airline tried to accommodate passengers after the delay.
- The plan was revised to accommodate everyone’s availability.
FAQ
Is accomodate ever correct?
No. Accomodate is not correct in standard English. Use accommodate with two c’s and two m’s.
How many c’s and m’s are in accommodate?
Accommodate has two c’s and two m’s: a-c-c-o-m-m-o-d-a-t-e.
Why does accommodate have two c’s and two m’s?
The spelling comes from the word’s older Latin form and preserves both double-letter pairs. The easiest practical rule is to remember that accommodate has room for two c’s and two m’s.
Is accommodate American or British spelling?
Accommodate is the correct spelling in both American English and British English.
What is the noun form of accommodate?
The noun form is accommodation. The plural accommodations can mean places to stay or arrangements made to meet someone’s needs.
What is another word for accommodate?
Depending on the sentence, good alternatives include hold, fit, house, make room for, adjust to, allow for, help, or meet the needs of.
How do you spell accommodating?
The correct spelling is accommodating, with two c’s and two m’s.
How do you spell accommodation?
The correct spelling is accommodation, with two c’s and two m’s.
Conclusion
The correct spelling is accommodate.
Accomodate is a misspelling because it drops the second m. Remember the pattern:
a-c-c-o-m-m-o-d-a-t-e
Use accommodate when something provides room, fits people or things, adjusts to a need, or makes a request possible.
Correct: We can accommodate your request.
Incorrect: We can accomodate your request.
