Synonyms of modify

modify

verb

ˈmä-də-ˌfī 

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

• alter
• qualify
• misrepresent
• distort
• color
• narrow
• misstate
• warp
• pervert
• twist

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• expand
• broaden
• widen

2

as in to change

to make different in some way

he modified the appliance so that it would run more quietly

Synonyms & Similar Words

• alter
• change
• remodel
• transform
• rework
• revise
• recast
• remake
• refashion
• redo
• vary
• revamp
• deform
• mutate
• make over
• metamorphose
• revolutionize
• transmute
• convert
• transfigure
• exchange
• regenerate
• retool
• commute
• rejigger

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• set
• fix
• stabilize
• freeze

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

Recent Examples of modify

As with years past, in 2025 the organizers of La Jolla’s signature holiday events struggled with city of San Diego permits and processes and donations that didn’t come in when they were needed, sending some things down to the wire or requiring them to be modified so they could be carried out. —Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026

Some focused on directly modifying smoking behavior, aligning with standard clinical SC guidelines, and others served as adjuncts to interventions that relied on pharmacotherapy. —New Atlas, 13 Jan. 2026

The legislation would modify federal highway and freight safety programs to allow grant recipients, such as state departments of transportation, to use vehicle telematics and predictive analytics to identify infrastructure concerns. —Arkansas Online, 12 Jan. 2026

The School City of Hobart is facing a grim fiscal reality if state lawmakers don’t act soon to modify a property tax relief bill approved by legislators last year. —Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026