1
as in modifying
to make different in some way
can't you alter your plans just slightly so we can leave 10 minutes earlier?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fixing
to remove the sex organs of
contends that cats and dogs that have been altered make better pets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of altering
People are left to navigate life-altering immigration proceedings without the ability to communicate with their attorneys.
—
Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
The band is pitched right at a difficult juncture at which their artistic ambitions abut real, life-altering attention.
—Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Christian leaders adjusted Jesus’s teachings accordingly, often altering and almost always softening them for public consumption.
—Big Think, 26 Mar. 2026
Now, a new landmark ruling may make a difference for kids like Jordan, forever altering the landscape of social media.
—Rachel Hale, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
Unger delves into the lives of each woman, altering the points of view among the friends, sisters and the police.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026
Last season, Breslow made a franchise-altering trade in sending Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in an effort to recalibrate the clubhouse dynamics and the franchise’s finances in one fell swoop.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Based on the novel by Bart Baker, Honeymoon with Harry follows a rough-around-the-edges man (Gyllenhaal) who ends up sharing an unwanted journey with his fiancée’s prickly, overprotective father (Costner) after a life-altering turn upends their plans.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026
This, in turn, caused the sandwich to collapse, altering the material’s overall form.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 25 Mar. 2026
Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
The band is pitched right at a difficult juncture at which their artistic ambitions abut real, life-altering attention.
—Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Christian leaders adjusted Jesus’s teachings accordingly, often altering and almost always softening them for public consumption.
—Big Think, 26 Mar. 2026
Now, a new landmark ruling may make a difference for kids like Jordan, forever altering the landscape of social media.
—Rachel Hale, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
Unger delves into the lives of each woman, altering the points of view among the friends, sisters and the police.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026
Last season, Breslow made a franchise-altering trade in sending Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in an effort to recalibrate the clubhouse dynamics and the franchise’s finances in one fell swoop.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Based on the novel by Bart Baker, Honeymoon with Harry follows a rough-around-the-edges man (Gyllenhaal) who ends up sharing an unwanted journey with his fiancée’s prickly, overprotective father (Costner) after a life-altering turn upends their plans.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026
This, in turn, caused the sandwich to collapse, altering the material’s overall form.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for altering
Verb
-
The team further enhanced performance by modifying the SMP’s chemical composition and reinforcing it with carbon fibers to improve stiffness and durability.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The Navy is now considering modifying a class of Coast Guard cutters that would lack basic armaments such as vertical tubes for launching a variety of anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Unitex secured a tax-fixing agreement with the city to phase-in property taxes over 10 years.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Traditionally, testing and fixing designs can take months or even years.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Then the finalists take the stage, delivering inspiring pitches that could earn game-changing funding.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
As backyard lifestyles grow more popular and homeowners look for smarter home technologies, expectations around pool care are changing.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Danny Niemela, Vice President and CFO at ArDan Construction, a luxury home remodeling company in Scottsdale, Arizona, recommends low-pile carpets with a higher twist in heavily trafficked areas, like hallways and stairs.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Congrats to Donna Kelce on remodeling her modest Florida home!—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Altering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altering. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
