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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.

Trivia Time

In Greek mythology, which shape-shifting sea god could alter his appearance at will?

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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

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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”

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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

Ever since Uefa announced its plans to alter the format of the Champions League in 2021, the impact on matches has been a hot topic.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

“It’s like my Sasha Fierce,” said Magyar, referring to the alter ego of music superstar Beyoncé.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

The laboratory findings suggest that certain sweeteners and medications can interact in ways that substantially alter the growth of particular gut microbes.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026

AI is surpassing human abilities in pursuits from mathematics to computer programming, while threatening to alter or even eradicate many jobs.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

In criminal cases, witnesses who will be testifying are required to sit outside the courtroom so they can’t alter their testimony based on what other witnesses say.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

The incident overshadowed what was supposed to be a triumphant launch for Lisa's debut solo album, Alter Ego.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

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

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

From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026

“We think it has to do with the metabolic toxicity associated with the lack of exercise,” says Dr. David Alter, a cardiologist who teaches at the University of Toronto.

From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026

“As I told you, there is no one here by the name of Alter Rosen,” a woman said, her voice strained by annoyance.

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

"Future studies can build on this work to explore how psilocybin alters neural signaling, which serotonin pathways are involved, and why some aspects of social behavior are affected while others are not," concluded Currie.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026

Social Security recipients can get an additional benefit for dependent children, which alters the calculation about when to draw benefits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Spanish meteorological research group Climatoc-Lab described it as "a manifestation of how global warming alters the hydrological cycle".

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

In her version, Bernhard alters the lyrics to pay tribute to Sylvester, whose untimely death left an immense legacy.

From Salon ● Sep. 5, 2026

We have all traveled far to get to this place, though this place alter as our camp alters from shore to ship and our ship shifts on its anchor cable.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

The team altered only the movements around the eyes and eyebrows, leaving verbal content and vocal delivery unchanged.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Shocked minerals are particularly important because their internal crystal structures have been altered by immense pressure.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 21, 2026

Understand the world with the help of the Muppets: In 2012, Dahlia Lithwick published a piece of cultural analysis that permanently altered how readers viewed their marriages, their workplaces, and the U.S.

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026

But open-weight models like those released by Chinese companies can be more easily altered and optimized by users for nefarious purposes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

“Fashions change so quickly nowadays they may even have altered by the time you get upstairs.”

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

The companies leading the race to build artificial superintelligence describe the technology as a force that could reshape entire economies, create vast fortunes and dominate future warfare, potentially altering the geopolitical power balance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

The warming phase of a natural climate cycle, El Nino events temporarily elevate global temperatures, altering cloud and wind patterns, and raise the risk of damaging weather.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

Fintech founders have caught on to how Americans are altering their financial habits, and they’ve created new products to try to meet the moment.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

But he says "more than 30 years worth of behaviors" will need altering to make the railway run solely in the interests of the customer.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

He tapped the ball, altering its angle and freezing the goalie.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John

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Related Words

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

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