modifies

present tense third-person singular of modify
1
as in alters
to limit the meaning of (as a noun) adjectives are words that modify nouns, while adverbs can modify adjectives and verbs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

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 modifies When transitioning from hard flooring to rugs or carpets, the system automatically adjusts suction levels and modifies its brush roll behavior to maximize particle pickup while preventing hair entanglements around the main rollers. — New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026 In anticipation of the court ruling, a law passed by the Illinois General Assembly in June modifies the state residency requirement that applies to students without permanent legal status. — Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026 The final kickoff adjustment modifies alignment requirements for receiving team players in the setup zone. — Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026 An agent that calls the wrong API or modifies the wrong record creates consequences a hallucinated sentence simply cannot. — Hemant Kashyap, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 So the team fed AlphaFold versions of a target DNA sequence, along with a guide RNA, the Cas9 sequence, and an enzyme that chemically modifies bases and can stick to Cas9. — ArsTechnica, 24 July 2026 For example, Texas angler Dustin Grice modifies his spinnerbaits by adding chartreuse and white willow-leaf blades with a matching chartreuse/white skirt. — David A. Brown, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026 The company’s claim is that MST modifies the mechanical stress state of the silicon surface in a way that discourages dislocation nucleation and propagation during the subsequent GaN growth steps. — Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 8 June 2026 This bill modifies the sales-in-error regulations to create a new category for any current outstanding certificates to be automatically declared in error, meaning those sales will be reversed, tax buyers will be refunded and the process will restart under the new statute. — Jenna Schweikert, CBS News, 1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for modifies
Verb
  • Joshi and other doctors are calling for additional training to help surgeons understand how AI alters facial images, its anatomical limitations and its potential psychological effects on patients.
    — Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026
  • But each translation error sends a correction signal backward through the network that slightly alters the weights that produced it.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • According to the team, the coordination is important because pushing or lifting an object changes the forces acting on a humanoid’s body.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
  • For families using the vouchers, nothing changes immediately.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Clean that up before seeking emergency financing, and confirm with the lender what qualifies as borrowing support.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • As a result of the win, the film automatically qualifies for submission to the Best International Feature category of the Oscars.
    — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Retinol also remodels and thickens that deeper layer of skin.
    — Sherri Gordon, HEALTH, 31 Aug. 2026
  • More than just structural support For decades, scientists have known that bone provides support, stores minerals and continuously remodels itself.
    — Priya Bhardwaj, The Conversation, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Magnesium in the stream then transforms CO₂ added to the water in a tank into bicarbonate before returning to the ocean.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The potential scale made possible by Andermatt’s exceptional planning freedoms, meanwhile, transforms what is achievable.
    — Nick Scott, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Previously announced under the title Shaolin Women’s Soccer, the Hong Kong-China co-production reworks the original film’s martial-arts-meets-scrappy-sports-team premise around an all-female squad of underdogs.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
  • First previewed during Paris Men’s Fashion Week in June, the new collection reworks the ProGrid Triumph 4, ProGrid V2, 586i, Endorphin Azura and Endorphin Elite 3.
    — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Modifies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modifies. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster