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

An early estimate of $15/month would increase the total cost of ownership without altering the iPhone 18 Pro or 18 Pro Max price, shifting growth away from replacement hardware to ongoing subscription services. —Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

Whistler by Ann Patchett When Daphne Fuller unexpectedly reunites with her former stepfather at the Metropolitan Museum of Art decades after a life-altering childhood separation, their resurfaced bond reignites a connection neither is willing to lose. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 13 June 2026

According to Harvard Health, travel disrupts the body’s natural rhythms — time changes, altered eating schedules, poor sleep — which upsets digestion, especially in people with already-sensitive guts. —Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026

Some lenses filtered only a small fraction of blue light, while others blocked substantially more, sometimes at the cost of altering color perception. —Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 13 June 2026

Phrases Containing alter

• alter ego