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

But the project did alter her perspective. —Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 29 May 2026

That ruling came the same week the Florida Legislature voted on a new congressional map that altered the amount of Black constituents in her district and in nearby District 20, both of them drawn to protect Black representation in Congress. —Miami Herald, 29 May 2026

From upgrading security systems at their homes, relying on staff members to walk them to their cars and altering their habits while out in public, these women have had to adapt to face the intersecting vulnerabilities of being a woman and serving in public office. —Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 29 May 2026

Bryant’s book follows the lives of Robinson and Robeson, two high-profile African Americans whose lives were altered during the Cold War and its hunt for communist sympathizers. —Bob Kustra, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026

Phrases Containing alter

• alter ego