as in changes
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 mutates
Although flu seasons can vary in disease severity, the virus mutates so unpredictably that pandemic flu seasons – like those in 1918, 1957, 1968 and 2009 – are a recurring possibility.
—
Katrine L. Wallace,
The Conversation,
28 Apr. 2026
Measles mutates slowly enough that researchers can in many cases search for essentially the same strain when tracking its movements.
—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
This dynamic drives a phenomenon called antigenic shift meaning that the vaccine paradoxically encourages new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine.
—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
7 Aug. 2025
Katrine L. Wallace,
The Conversation,
28 Apr. 2026
Measles mutates slowly enough that researchers can in many cases search for essentially the same strain when tracking its movements.
—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
This dynamic drives a phenomenon called antigenic shift meaning that the vaccine paradoxically encourages new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine.
—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mutates
Verb
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Rom-coms aren’t always known for being terribly sexy but San Francisco native Leah McKendrick changes all than it her Netflix valentine to San Francisco.
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Within Anthropic, Claude Tag is already approving and incorporating 65% of the code changes the product team submits, according to Wu.
Verb
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Pricing varies widely, and these treatments are among the priciest items on a typical biohacking clinic menu.
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That out-of-pocket structure also helps explain why pricing varies so widely from clinic to clinic.
Verb
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However, curators say that framing fans as fine art intentionally shifts the perception of what a world-class museum can present.
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This pivotal 106th career triumph dramatically shifts the narrative, proving Hamilton remains a serious championship contender.
Verb
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This is why the healthiest couples remind themselves that attraction is something that fluctuates naturally.
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The inherent value of some watches fluctuates on a daily basis because of the materials.
Cite this Entry
“Mutates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mutates. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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