Synonyms of alter

alter

verb

ˈȯl-tər 

1

as in to modify

to make different in some way

can't you alter your plans just slightly so we can leave 10 minutes earlier?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• modify
• change
• remodel
• transform
• rework
• revise
• recast
• remake
• refashion
• vary
• redo
• revamp
• deform
• make over
• mutate
• metamorphose
• revolutionize
• transmute
• transfigure
• exchange
• convert
• regenerate
• retool
• commute
• rejigger

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• set
• fix
• stabilize
• freeze

2

as in to fix

to remove the sex organs of

contends that cats and dogs that have been altered make better pets

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fix
• neuter
• sterilize
• emasculate
• desex
• castrate
• geld
• spay

Synonym Chooser

How is the word alter different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of alter are change, modify, and vary. While all these words mean "to make or become different," alter implies a difference in some particular respect without suggesting loss of identity.

slightly altered the original design

When is it sensible to use change instead of alter?

In some situations, the words change and alter are roughly equivalent. However, change implies making either an essential difference often amounting to a loss of original identity or a substitution of one thing for another.

changed the shirt for a larger size

In what contexts can modify take the place of alter?

The synonyms modify and alter are sometimes interchangeable, but modify suggests a difference that limits, restricts, or adapts to a new purpose.

modified the building for use by the disabled

When might vary be a better fit than alter?

Although the words vary and alter have much in common, vary stresses a breaking away from sameness, duplication, or exact repetition.

vary your daily routine

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of alter

The tax break is an incentive for owners to protect their historically important properties from being lost to developers or altered by future owners. —U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026

The deletion altered the production of a protein, which would become known as CFTR, a shorthand for cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. —Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026

Models and sketches from 1961 to 1965 show the project’s parameters continually altering in response to public opinion and bureaucratic constraints. —Terry Nguyen, ARTnews.com, 10 Apr. 2026

Despite those concerns, Hass said the incident is unlikely to alter Chinese President Xi Jinping’s efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties between the United States and China. —Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026

Phrases Containing alter

• alter ego