1
as in to alter
to limit the meaning of (as a noun) adjectives are words that modify nouns, while adverbs can modify adjectives and verbs

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of modify are alter, change, and vary. While all these words mean "to make or become different," modify suggests a difference that limits, restricts, or adapts to a new purpose.

modified the building for use by the disabled

When can alter be used instead of modify?

The meanings of alter and modify largely overlap; however, 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 modify?

The words change and modify are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 would vary be a good substitute for modify?

Although the words vary and modify have much in common, 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 modify Not to be redistributed, copied, or modified in any way. ArsTechnica, 16 June 2025 There are two main ways to modify push-ups: Stay on the floor but drop to your knees. Jenny McCoy, SELF, 16 June 2025 Meta has taken a different approach to AI than many of its rivals, releasing its flagship Llama system for free as an open-source product that enables people to use and modify some of its key components. Matt O’Brien, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025 The order not only modifies key elements of Biden’s January 2025 framework but also signals a broader realignment of federal cybersecurity priorities. Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for modify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for modify
Verb
  • Read’s defense team slightly altered its strategy, too.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 16 June 2025
  • This design allows users to access cleaner fuel without the need to alter their vehicles or fueling routines.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2025
Verb
  • Stay alert for competitive domain markets that change regularly.
    Michael Gargiulo, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • Johnny Depp is reflecting on the relationship that changed the course of his life - both professionally and personally.
    Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • International students don’t qualify for federal aid, and many don’t receive institutional scholarships either, which means that most of them pay full fare tuition.
    Emma Whitford, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
  • Less than 40% of the 120,000 people experiencing food insecurity in Jackson County qualify for SNAP assistance, McAfee-Bryant said.
    Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • The agency has also purchased hundreds of E-Transit delivery vans from Ford and spent more than half a billion dollars remodeling its outdated mail and package sorting facilities to accommodate electric and low-emissions vehicles.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 22 June 2025
  • Daniels compares the process to remodeling a house.
    Maribel Lopez, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • Horse racing is in his blood almost as much as the football club that the lifelong Brighton fan has transformed over the past 16 years with his own money.
    Andy Naylor, New York Times, 17 June 2025
  • Thankfully, Google Lens transforms your phone into a helpful research assistant, providing information to make your trip enjoyable anywhere in the world.
    Geoff Whitmore, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Modify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modify. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on modify

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