change
to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone: to change one's name;to change one's opinion;to change the course of history.
to transform or convert (usually followed by into): The witch changed the prince into a toad.
to substitute another or others for; exchange for something else, usually of the same kind: She changed her shoes when she got home from the office.
to give and take reciprocally; interchange: to change places with someone.
to transfer from one (conveyance) to another: You'll have to change planes in Chicago.
to give or get an equivalent amount of money in lower denominations in exchange for: to change a five-dollar bill.
to give or get foreign money in exchange for: to change dollars into euros.
to remove and replace the covering or coverings of: to change a bed.
to remove a dirty diaper from (a baby) and replace it with a clean one: new parents, learning to change a baby.
to become different: Overnight the nation's mood changed.
to become altered or modified: Colors change if they are exposed to the sun.
to become transformed or converted (usually followed by into): The toad changed back into a prince.
to pass gradually into (usually followed by to or into): Summer changed to autumn.
to switch or to make an exchange: If you want to sit next to the window, I'll change with you.
to transfer between trains or other conveyances: We can take the local and change to an express at the next stop.
to remove one's clothes and put on different clothes: She changed into jeans.
(of the moon) to pass from one phase to another.
(of the voice) to become deeper in tone; come to have a lower register: The boy's voice began to change when he was thirteen.
the act or fact of changing; fact of being changed: They are pleased by the change in their son's behavior.
a transformation or modification; alteration: They noticed the change in his facial expression.
a variation or deviation: a change in the daily routine.
the substitution of one thing for another: We finally made the change to an oil-burning furnace.
variety or novelty: Let's try a new restaurant for a change.
the passing from one place, state, form, or phase to another: a change of seasons;social change.
Jazz. harmonic progression from one tonality to another; modulation.
the supplanting of one thing by another: We need a total change of leadership.
anything that is or may be substituted for another.
a fresh set of clothing.
money given in exchange for an equivalent of higher denomination.
a balance of money that is returned when the sum tendered in payment is larger than the sum due.
coins of low denomination.
any of the various sequences in which a peal of bells may be rung.
Also 'change .British. exchange (def. 10).
Obsolete. changefulness; caprice.
change off,
to take turns with another, as at doing a task.
to alternate between two tasks or between a task and a rest break.
Idioms about change
change front, Military. to shift a military force in another direction.
change hands. hand (def. 48).
change one's mind, to change one's opinions or intentions.
ring the changes,
to perform all permutations possible in ringing a set of tuned bells, as in a bell tower of a church.
to vary the manner of performing an action or of discussing a subject; repeat with variations.
Origin of change
1word story For change
The French development from cambiāre to changier is regular; other Romance languages have developed in differing ways: Spanish and Portuguese cambiar keep cambiāre more or less intact; Catalan has canviar; Sardinian has cambiare; Old Provençal has both cambiar and camjar; Old Italian (late 12th century) has cambiare, but modern Italian only cangiare.
The Middle English verb was used to refer to the exchange of money, coins, or currency, but the corresponding noun meanings did not appear until the mid-16th century; the specific usage “the balance of money returned to a buyer” is first recorded in 1665.
Other words for change
| 1 | transmute, transform; vary, mutate; amend, modify |
| 3 | replace, swap |
| 4 | trade |
| 7 | convert |
| 11 | vary, mutate, alternate |
| 19 | transmutation, mutation, conversion, vicissitude |
| 22 | exchange |
| 26, 27 | replacement |
Opposites for change
Other words from change
- chang·ed·ness [cheyn-jid-nis, cheynjd-], /ˈtʃeɪn dʒɪd nɪs, ˈtʃeɪndʒd-/, noun
- un·changed, adjective
- un·chang·ing, adjective
- un·chang·ing·ly, adverb
- un·chang·ing·ness, noun
Words Nearby change
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use change in a sentence
One agency executive said that it would be surprising if advertisers return en masse in early August without commitments to address advertisers’ desired changes.
‘We’re letting Facebook grade their own homework’: Here’s how advertisers’ desired changes differ from overall boycott | Kristina Monllos | July 9, 2020 | DigidayThe government had estimated that the rule changes would cause about 70,000 women, and at most 126,000 women, to lose contraception coverage in one year.
70,000 women expected to lose birth control coverage after Supreme Court ruling | Rachel Schallom | July 8, 2020 | FortuneHis team’s mandate is to back companies tied to major long-term shifts in areas like climate change and health care.
The picture and the pace at which it was changing were dizzying.
Is it time for your business to hire a chief public health officer? | Erika Fry | July 8, 2020 | FortuneThe focus was on low-cost ergonomic changes that reduced physical stress.
Term limits could be a prescription to speed change along.
And as he adjusted to this change in circumstances, he screamed at himself a second time: Wait!
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’ | Asawin Suebsaeng | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTWhen we meet them, their lives are unfulfilled, and at no point are we convinced their condition will change.
If we want that to change, then all of us have to encourage our legislators to make funding community policing a priority.
Whatever happened overtook them both within a minute or so of that altitude change request, and they were never heard from again.
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly? | Clive Irving | January 4, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTIn treble, second and fourth, the first change is a dodge behind; and the second time the treble leads, there's a double Bob.
Tintinnalogia, or, the Art of Ringing | Richard Duckworth and Fabian StedmanThe Seven-score and four on the six middle Bells, the treble leading, and the tenor lying behind every change, makes good Musick.
Tintinnalogia, or, the Art of Ringing | Richard Duckworth and Fabian StedmanNever was a change more remarkable than that which had come upon Mrs. Collingwood.
The Boarded-Up House | Augusta Huiell SeamanWhen the whole hunt is hunting up, each single change is made between the whole hunt, and the next bell above it.
Tintinnalogia, or, the Art of Ringing | Richard Duckworth and Fabian StedmanAlmost, he saw her visibly change—here in the twilight of the little Luxor garden by his side.
The Wave | Algernon Blackwood
British Dictionary definitions for change
/ (tʃeɪndʒ) /
to make or become different; alter
(tr) to replace with or exchange for another: to change one's name
(sometimes foll by to or into) to transform or convert or be transformed or converted
to give and receive (something) in return; interchange: to change places with someone
(tr) to give or receive (money) in exchange for the equivalent sum in a smaller denomination or different currency
(tr) to remove or replace the coverings of: to change a baby
(when intr, may be foll by into or out of) to put on other clothes
(intr) (of the moon) to pass from one phase to the following one
to operate (the gear lever of a motor vehicle) in order to alter the gear ratio: to change gear
to alight from (one bus, train, etc) and board another
change face to rotate the telescope of a surveying instrument through 180° horizontally and vertically, taking a second sighting of the same object in order to reduce error
change feet informal to put on different shoes, boots, etc
change front
military to redeploy (a force in the field) so that its main weight of weapons points in another direction
to alter one's attitude, opinion, etc
change hands to pass from one owner to another
change one's mind to alter one's decision or opinion
change one's tune to alter one's attitude or tone of speech
the act or fact of changing or being changed
a variation, deviation, or modification
the substitution of one thing for another; exchange
anything that is or may be substituted for something else
variety or novelty (esp in the phrase for a change): I want to go to France for a change
a different or fresh set, esp of clothes
money given or received in return for its equivalent in a larger denomination or in a different currency
the balance of money given or received when the amount tendered is larger than the amount due
coins of a small denomination regarded collectively
(often capital) archaic a place where merchants meet to transact business; an exchange
the act of passing from one state or phase to another
the transition from one phase of the moon to the next
the order in which a peal of bells may be rung
sport short for changeover (def. 3b)
slang desirable or useful information
obsolete fickleness or caprice
change of heart a profound change of outlook, opinion, etc
get no change out of someone slang not to be successful in attempts to exploit or extract information from someone
ring the changes to vary the manner or performance of an action that is often repeated
Origin of change
1- See also change down, changeover, change round, change up
Derived forms of change
- changeless, adjective
- changelessly, adverb
- changelessness, noun
- changer, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with change
In addition to the idioms beginning with change
- change hands
- change horses in midstream, don't
- change off
- change of heart
- change of life
- change of pace
- change one's mind
- change one's stripes
- change one's tune
- change the subject
also see:
- for a change
- leopard cannot change its spots
- piece of change
- ring the changes
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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