as in to change
to pass from one form, state, or level to another
colored lights that slowly mutate from green to blue and so on across the color spectrum
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Recent Examples of mutate
The variant is a member of the Omicron family and is highly mutated, with 70 to 75 mutations.
—
Sandra Temko, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
As the virus has mutated, the mRNA platform has allowed scientists to update COVID vaccines to better match the most prevalent strains.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 27 Mar. 2026
The meme mutated in every direction.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
But problems emerged as the department evolved to confront a mutating threat.
—Paul Rosenzweig, The Atlantic, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mutate
Sandra Temko, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
As the virus has mutated, the mRNA platform has allowed scientists to update COVID vaccines to better match the most prevalent strains.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 27 Mar. 2026
The meme mutated in every direction.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
But problems emerged as the department evolved to confront a mutating threat.
—Paul Rosenzweig, The Atlantic, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mutate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mutate
Verb
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So if the project is approved, the zoning laws would have to change, which would also change the county's general plan.—
Kayla Moeller,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
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When the popular Italian restaurant Caffe Vialetto closed in 2025 after 26 years of feeding families and sharing milestones, diners across Miami mourned the loss of the Coral Gables icon, a stable oasis for quiet dinners and family celebrations in a wildly changing culinary landscape.—
Connie Ogle
April 9,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Playing in the Rays’ domed ballpark certainly helped after dealing with varying weather and temperatures during their first nine games of the season.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
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In both cases, the savings matter, but their impact varies with income levels and home prices.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In Paul’s time, Josephus was a perfect instance of the first kind, a brilliant military leader who, when faced with the fanaticism of his cohorts, chose to shift his allegiance to Rome.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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Administration officials have signaled, both publicly and privately, that their immigration enforcement strategy has shifted to some degree following Operation Metro Surge, the operation in Minnesota.—
Julia Ingram,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mutate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mutate. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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