change 1 of 2

1
2
as in fluctuation
the frequent and usually sudden passing from one condition to another there is nothing so constant as change itself

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

change

2 of 2

verb

1
2
as in to vary
to pass from one form, state, or level to another the weather in New England is constantly changing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to exchange
to give up (something) and take something else in return would you mind changing your seat so my friends can sit together?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of change are alter, modify, and vary. While all these words mean "to make or become different," 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

When might alter be a better fit than change?

Although the words alter and change have much in common, alter implies a difference in some particular respect without suggesting loss of identity.

slightly altered the original design

When is it sensible to use modify instead of change?

The synonyms modify and change 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

Where would vary be a reasonable alternative to change?

In some situations, the words vary and change are roughly equivalent. However, vary stresses a breaking away from sameness, duplication, or exact repetition.

vary your daily routine

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 change
Noun
And 41 percent of Republicans say that HHS’s recent changes to vaccine policy will make people safer, compared with just 4 percent of Democrats. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 23 Aug. 2025 Healthcare providers recommend the use of oral rehydration and diet change for pregnant people with diarrhea.13 However, if the diarrhea doesn’t clear up, your doctor may recommend medications to help. Emmanuella Ogbonna, Health, 23 Aug. 2025
Verb
That monitoring opens the door to adaptive access models that change based on real-world conditions. Craig Davies, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025 The mission tested the X-37B's aerobraking maneuver capability, which involves using atmospheric drag over multiple passes to change orbits while using minimum fuel. Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for change
Recent Examples of Synonyms for change
Noun
  • Earlier this month, permission was granted for minor internal and external alterations at the property, PA reported, citing redacted planning applications lodged with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.
    Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Recent regulatory alterations under the Trump Administration, which are generally viewed as detrimental for the automotive industry, might actually benefit Tesla.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Burnley has experienced significant fluctuations in recent years, having been promoted to the Premier League in 2009, 2014, 2016, 2023, and again before the start of this season.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Aug. 2025
  • Firms in finance and real estate are more sensitive to financial market fluctuations than to tariff policy.
    William Dunkelberg, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The airport sued over that issue, and a court ruled in its favor, entering a temporary injunction directing city officials to use the sales tax money to pay off the bonds.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Aug. 2025
  • But in many ways, this collapse was baked into its spectacular rise, when a flood of dumb money, pollyannaish entrepreneurs, and hungry journalists rushed to build an industry that would soon turn into a house of cards.
    Eric Benson, Rolling Stone, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Legal scholars stress that such arrangements were subjected to global trade rules and later modified after international complaints.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 16 Aug. 2025
  • In response, the California legislature passed Proposition 89, which gave voters the option to allow the governor power to modify the parole board’s decision.
    Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The length of time Piano Man has spent on each list varies widely.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • The proportion of ERs without an attending physician always on-site varies wildly by state.
    Arielle Zionts. KFF Health News, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The final set was much more of a contest, with the duo exchanging multiple breaks of serve as the match wound down to a nail-biting finish.
    Reuters, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025
  • To that end, football coaches exchange game tapes six days before games.
    Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • But what difference would the collective contributions of her and millions of other Americans make for the PE industry?
    Mark Dent, HubSpot, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Most polls show a couple of percentage points’ difference among them, with the preferences for each sitting near the 20% mark.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The oscillation also produces a significant variation in pressure on the shuttlecock's feathers.
    Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 19 Aug. 2025
  • One is called the analysis trap, which measures the precession of the magnetic moment around a magnetic field, and the other is the precision trap, which is able to flip the quantum spin of a particle and measure that particle's oscillation in a magnetic field.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 24 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Change.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/change. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.

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