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
Zhang, of Purdue, studies bioelectrical signaling in zebra fish, which develop striking extra-long tails when a certain ion channel is mutated.
—
Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 12 Jan. 2026
However, cases have sharply risen since 2021, likely due to a combination of mutating bacteria and declining rates of vaccination overall, especially among teens getting a booster dose for bacterial meningitis, doctors suggest.
—Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 11 Jan. 2026
The virus infects a wide range of animals and has the ability to mutate rapidly.
—Patrick Jackson, The Conversation, 7 Jan. 2026
In subsequent analyses, Sankaran found that some of these mRNAs tend to derive from genes related to cell growth and, when mutated, are linked to cancers.
—Angus Chen, STAT, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mutate
Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 12 Jan. 2026
However, cases have sharply risen since 2021, likely due to a combination of mutating bacteria and declining rates of vaccination overall, especially among teens getting a booster dose for bacterial meningitis, doctors suggest.
—Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 11 Jan. 2026
The virus infects a wide range of animals and has the ability to mutate rapidly.
—Patrick Jackson, The Conversation, 7 Jan. 2026
In subsequent analyses, Sankaran found that some of these mRNAs tend to derive from genes related to cell growth and, when mutated, are linked to cancers.
—Angus Chen, STAT, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mutate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mutate
Verb
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This pioneering anthology changed the direction of Yiddish studies, bringing to light previously untranslated short fiction and memoirs by eighteen Yiddish women writers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
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Earlier in the third, with just around 10 minutes left in the period, Britta Curl-Salemme had an opportunity to change the game’s results.—
Theodore Tollefson,
Twin Cities,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While data varied between cities, researchers said there were 25% fewer homicides in 2025 compared to 2019, with rates dropping in 27 of 35 cities in the sample.—
Anna Schecter,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
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What constitutes pass interference or unnecessary roughness can vary dramatically from one crew to another, and even from quarter to quarter within the same game.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The move reflects a shifting tennis sponsorship landscape, with classic brands long associated with the professional tour, like Fila, Sergio Tacchini, and Ellesse, being replaced by younger activewear brands like FP Movement, Lululemon, and Vuori.—
Jessica Schiffer,
Vogue,
14 Jan. 2026
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These structures prevent data center costs from shifting to residential customers.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mutate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mutate. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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