alter
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
to make different in some particular, as size, style, course, or the like; modify.
to alter a coat; to alter a will; to alter course.
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to castrate or spay.
verb (used without object)
abbreviation
noun
verb
Usage
What is another way to say alter?
To alter something is to make it different in some particular way, such as in size, style, or course. How does alter compare to change? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Related Words
See adjust,
Other Word Forms
- alterability noun
- alterable adjective
- alterably adverb
- alterer noun
- half-altered adjective
- prealter verb (used with object)
- realter verb
- unaltering adjective
- well-altered adjective
Etymology
Origin of alter
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French alterer, from Late Latin alterāre “to change, worsen,” derivative of Latin alter “other”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It can include diluting or substituting ingredients, altering documents, or going through unapproved processes.
From BBC
The pair tailored training to specific players, altering the intensity based on Liverpool's schedule and demands of upcoming games.
From BBC
“The earnings prints were serviceable, but they did not alter the forward path… Investors are no longer underwriting ambition on faith… Capex without upward revision is no longer a growth narrative.”
From MarketWatch
The problem is that seasonal hiring patterns have been altered by the pandemic, and sometimes the adjustments are off the mark.
From MarketWatch
Together, these findings show that the impact that formed the South Pole-Aitken Basin profoundly altered the Moon deep below its surface.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
