noun
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an adjustment, change, or modification
-
the act of altering or state of being altered
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of alteration
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English alteracioun, from Medieval Latin alterātiōn-, stem of alterātiō; equivalent to alter + -ation
Explanation
The pants are too long, the jacket too tight and the vest is too short. Looks like your suit is in need of some serious alteration, or adjustment. No one knows alterations like tailors. All they do is adjust, modify and otherwise alter people's ill fitting clothes. But hemlines aren't the only things that can undergo alteration. Savvy scientists may someday make alterations to genetic sequencing — just like Dr. Jekyll underwent some serious alterations to become Mr. Hyde.
Vocabulary lists containing alteration
Vocabulary from The Articles of Confederation
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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.
See Examples For:
But in another alteration, Damon’s Odysseus fires an arrow into the already blinded Cyclops’ eye as he escapes, giving the monster’s father, Poseidon, a new reason to make his journey home miserable.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Alfonsi refused, arguing — correctly, as it turned out — that administration officials refused to appear on air and that any alteration would reflect poorly on the network.
From Salon ● Jun. 1, 2026
Eve Higgins replaces Nancy McGillivray, who is not involved in the matchday squad, at centre in the sole alteration from the 26-7 defeat against France in Clermont two weeks ago.
From BBC ● May 7, 2026
That dispute is settled, without major alteration to the Senate’s character.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026
Books, also, were recalled and rewritten again and again, and were invariably reissued without any admission that any alteration had been made.
From "1984" by George Orwell
Over the years Universal has been required to make alterations to its attractions, such as replacing some live special effects in its “Waterworld” show with prerecorded digital tracks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
The renovation also included some alterations to the lavish interiors of the Qatari royal family’s private plane.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
They will remain in the next iteration, with some landscape alterations to make the scene more scientifically accurate, Bettison-Varga said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2026
Student, Emma Harrow, borrowed a sewing machine to teach herself to make alterations to clothes.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
“But when the genetic manipulations began to take effect, the alterations had disastrous consequences. As it turns out, the attempt had resulted not in corrected genes, but in damaged ones,” David says.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
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.
