Disclosed are exemplary structures with adaptive cooling and methods of adaptively cooling structures. A liner is affixed to a support and the liner deflects away from the support when exposed to a localized hot spot in a hot fluid stream. The liner deflection creates a chamber between the liner and support, allowing cooling air to impinge against the liner, thus mitigating the effects of the hot spot. By providing impingement cooling only where needed, the amount of air needed for cooling is reduced.