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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

Count Binface is the satirical alter ego of comedian Jon Harvey, who has specialised in satire and been involved with BBC comedy shows, including The Thick of It and Have I Got News For You.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

The Kazakh meteorological service said the impact of the project is "local and short-lived," and that it "does not affect climate processes or alter the movement of air masses".

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

A new six-month trial suggests that changing how much sweet-tasting food people eat does not alter how much they enjoy sweetness.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026

The EPA has warned that hackers who penetrate a water system could also alter treatment chemicals to hazardous levels.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

“But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them for ever.”

From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

A longtime writer on green architecture, Alter believes that the most sustainable building is the one that remains useful the longest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

The most worrisome effects, Alter says, actually appear in those of us who sit nine hours or more a day.

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

“I didn’t know that it was anything that would bypass any sort of verification,” said Alter, 43 years old, who splits his time between New York state and Canada.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 27, 2025

“The workers are finished. Alter the Gathering and this year’s Song, you’ll be able to start dyeing new threads for the robe.”

From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry

"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

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

There is a serious debate to be had about whether fears of causing offence or being accused of prejudice alters behaviour, particularly in the public services on which we all rely.

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 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

“The transmitter and the liquid that induces the simulation. The transmitter communicates information to the brain from the computer, and vice versa, and the liquid alters the brain to put it in a simulation state.”

From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth

A second draft of the letter, dated March 4, contained altered language providing that the voter information would be “transferred” to HSI, with one exception: Voters’ party affiliation would be redacted, if possible, it said.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026

A Harris poll finds that more than half of parents with young children across faiths say safety concerns tied to recent events have altered their attendance habits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Most types are caused by an altered gene being passed to a child by their parents and blood tests can be used to confirm a diagnosis.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

The complaint claims that streaming metrics have been altered to prioritize major artists and labels above smaller indie musicians.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

My throat tightens as I see this altered version of my uncle lying there.

From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan

"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

Artificial intelligence is profoundly altering the digital universe, with the promise of ever greater computing power.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

The debate is not about whether AI is real or whether it’s reshaping the U.S. economy by fundamentally altering corporate productivity, capital allocation and the labor market.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

Through photosynthesis, they would begin the extremely slow process of altering the planet's atmosphere.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

The jobs she’d done for Kaz over the last year helped, and in a way so had her work carefully altering moods and tailoring faces at the White Rose.

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo

Related Words

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