In this paper, an adaptive controller with time-varying gains is proposed to solve the problem of making a single-input single-output (SISO) nonlinear system, with explicit linear parametric uncertainty, equivalent to a passive system. Some stability issues associated to the resultant closed-loop passive system are also discussed. The results obtained are applied to two examples, a third order nonlinear system and a model of a magnetic levitation system, to show the controller methodology design.