ESPOUSES is a term used to refer to two people who are married to each other. The crossword solutions WEDS and ADOPTS both refer to the act of getting married. WEDS is an abbreviation for 'WEDDING' and ADOPTS is an abbreviation for 'adopting a spouse'. Both words refer to the same act of marriage, but from different perspectives. WEDS refers to the ceremony that takes place when two people get married, while ADOPTS refers to the legal process of becoming married.