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• alter
  alter

  verb (used with object)

  to make different in some particular, as size, style, course, or the like; modify.
• Alter
  Alter

  noun

  David, 1807–81, U.S. physicist.
• alter.
  alter.

  abbreviation

  alteration.

alter

¹ American  

[awl-ter] / ˈɔl tər /

verb (used with object)

• alters,
  present (3rd person singular)
• altered,
  past participle,  past
• altering
  present participle

1. 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.

2. to castrate or spay.

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verb (used without object)

• alters,
  present (3rd person singular)
• altered,
  past participle,  past
• altering
  present participle

1. to change; become different or modified.

Alter ² American  

[awl-ter] / ˈɔl tər /

noun

1. David, 1807–81, U.S. physicist.

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alter. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. alteration.

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alter British  

/ ˈɔːltə /

verb

1. to make or become different in some respect; change

2. informal (tr) a euphemistic word for castrate spay

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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.

Synonym Usage

See adjust,

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• alterability
  noun
• alterer
  noun
• realter
  verb
• prealter
  verb (used with object)
• alterable
  adjective
• half-altered
  adjective
• unaltering
  adjective
• well-altered
  adjective
• alterably
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• altering
  present
• altered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• alter
  simple
• alters
  simple
• have altered
  perfect
• has altered
  perfect
• am altering
  progressive
• are altering
  progressive
• is altering
  progressive
• have been altering
  perfect progressive
• has been altering
  perfect progressive

Past

• altered
  simple
• had altered
  perfect
• was altering
  progressive
• were altering
  progressive
• had been altering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will alter
  simple
• will have altered
  perfect
• will be altering
  progressive
• will have been altering
  perfect progressive

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”

Explanation

After eating too many gingerbread cookies, she no longer fit into her uniform, so she had a seamstress alter it. It looked pretty much the same. The verb alter can also mean to neuter or spay. Think of a cat that has just been spayed: the cat you pick up from the vet is the same cat that you dropped off there, only perhaps a little groggy and unable to reproduce. While the cat has been altered, it's not a different cat.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

alter Alter alter. alters altered altering

A statistical pattern by itself is not a good enough reason to alter your portfolio.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

Researchers alter the chemical structure of a drug by incorporating a light-sensitive molecular switch.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026

Ironically, though, attacking alter egos narrowly could require more probing than enabled by the proposal now apparently under consideration.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Director and founder Edward Surman said: "Social media is a place where brands can alter their own story - where it's not moved around by the press."

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

This was a letter that could alter history.

From "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett

As the Soviets rounded up hundreds of Bundists in Poland, party leaders such as Henryk Erlich and Viktor Alter fled.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Caroline Alter isn’t really a flower person, but ended up paying $55,000 for them anyway.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026

When he gets sedentary patients, Alter prescribes exercise like a drug.

From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026

Another new festival coming to Wales is Blackbird - a rock event at Cardiff Castle on 27 June, with acts including Skindred, Alter Bridge and Cardinal Black.

From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026

“Hey, Alter, I think I see a camel with your name on it.”

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

"No-one ever thought it would alter. Their way of life was constant and familiar, as it had been as long as anyone could remember."

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2021

Both 4to 1679 and 1724 read'false souly', which I have ventured to alter. p.

From The Works of Aphra Behn, Volume II by Montague Summers

He used his remission to promote CAR T-cell therapy, which genetically alters one’s cells to fight cancer, after he said chemotherapy stopped working.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

Because Donaldjohanson's shape is uneven, those tiny forces do not cancel out completely and instead create a twisting effect that gradually alters the asteroid's rotation.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026

Moreover, the repeal of this rule substantially alters settlement dynamics.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026

Much will come out in the exchanges between the accidental roommates that alters our perceptions of both, as well as our view of those offstage personages, living and dead.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

“None of this alters the validity of the work done with HeLa cells,” she wrote, “but it may be worth noting—for the record.”

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Landscapes will also be altered as the climate of many American and European cities comes to resemble cities hundreds of miles south.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

The California attorney general has also issued a warning to parents, and retailers, that bicycles that are altered to exceed state limitations are no longer considered legal to ride on the streets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

"Once it is cut up by deep ruts, the water balance can be altered for years degrading habitat and reducing carbon storage," she said.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

The analysis revealed altered activity in several genes whose genetic variants have previously been associated with major depression.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026

Everything here requires so much talking and coordinating with the upper school...This rule and that rule must be followed; this tradition and that tradition cannot be altered.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

New research suggests the gene variant may begin altering brain activity well before memory problems become noticeable.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026

Prof. Roche said the findings show for the first time that consuming yeast beta-glucan in the diet is enough to trigger trained immunity by altering bone marrow stem cells.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026

He said what happened with Afropunk is “a tale as old as time” and Morgan being outside of the movement led to “moneyed interests” altering what Spooner had created.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

"My landlord used to call me Peter Pan," said 61-year-old Martin James, a former cleaner, farmer and singer who now spends much of his time buying, creating and altering his collectables.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

Hisao was lean and tough and worked methodically, never altering his pace.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

Related Words

• adjust
• amend
• change
• develop
• modify
• reshape
• revamp
• revise
• shift
• transform
• vary