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.
-
to castrate or spay.
verb (used without object)
noun
abbreviation
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.
These changes significantly alter how carbon is stored and circulated in these ecosystems.
From Science Daily
Similar effects may occur in atomically thin magnetic materials, where even small movements can alter magnetic order.
From Science Daily
The goal is for the altered males to mate with females, producing eggs that don’t hatch.
From Los Angeles Times
One possible explanation is that the plant alters the chemical form of the antibiotics, making them easier for fish to take in.
From Science Daily
Loss of the Y has been shown to alter gene expression in blood-forming cells and those involved in immune responses.
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.
