mutate

verb

mutated; mutating

transitive verb

: to cause to undergo mutation
mutative adjective

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some pieces were padded to create an alien-like dropped and mutated proposition. Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 25 Mar. 2025 The Moment gives an inside look at the inner workings of the music industry and explores how subculture is mutated by commercial success. Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025 As the threat of bird flu mounts—the virus is tearing through farms and mutating in ways that increasingly threaten human health—the country’s response has been woefully inadequate. Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2025 In the face of the simple coupe’s mutating genetic tree, the Lexus LC stands firm as a proper grand tourer. Jeremy Korzeniewski, Robb Report, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for mutate

Word History

Etymology

Latin mutatus, past participle of mutare

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of mutate was in 1818

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mutate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mutate. Accessed 20 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

mutate

verb
mu·​tate ˈmyü-ˌtāt How to pronounce mutate (audio)
mutated; mutating
: to undergo or cause to undergo mutation

Medical Definition

mutate

verb
mutated; mutating

transitive verb

: to cause to undergo mutation
mutative adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on mutate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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