mutate

verb

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mu·tate | \ ˈmyü-ˌtāt

, myü-ˈtāt

mutated; mutating

Definition of mutate

intransitive verb

: to undergo mutation

transitive verb

: to cause to undergo mutation

Other Words from mutate Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about mutate

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Examples of mutate in a Sentence

a disease that mutates genes in humans a group of mutated genes Over time, her feelings mutated from hatred into love. opera singers mutating into pop stars

Recent Examples on the Web When an image spawned, its underlying network mutated into 15 slightly different variations, each of which contributed a new image. — Quanta Magazine, "Computers Evolve a New Path Toward Human Intelligence," 6 Nov. 2019 Watchmen takes place in a world where the culture wars have mutated into real violence and hate. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, "Watchmen Is a Blistering Modern Allegory," 21 Oct. 2019 Anger at hardship and inequality mutated in recent weeks into the scapegoating of immigrants. — New York Times, "Soweto, Once Unified Against Apartheid, Is Now Divided by Wealth," 29 Sep. 2019 Still her cancer, like all cancers, was alive, a constellation of mutant cells that continued to mutate into new variations. — Charles Graeber, WIRED, "How Scientists Built a ‘Living Drug’ to Beat Cancer," 25 July 2019 An antagonist named Octavo is causing trouble in Hyrule and players must defeat his four champions: instruments that were mutated into monsters. — Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, "Review: ‘Cadence of Hyrule’ moves to its own ‘Zelda’ beat," 21 June 2019 The actress’s glittering satin adornment extended sideways well past her shoulders and down to her elbows, a bow that had mutated into a pair of wings. — Elizabeth Holmes, WSJ, "Can a Grown Woman Wear a Hair Bow?," 13 Feb. 2019 When tested in mice, the bacteria eventually mutated away from the genetic circuit. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "From rock/paper/scissors to new cancer-fighting concept from UCSD scientists," 6 Sep. 2019 The Kivu Ebola, so far, has mutated into four lineages. — Richard Preston, The New Yorker, "Is Ebola Evolving Into a More Deadly Virus?," 7 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mutate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.