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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 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
-
Well, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) convened recently to share ideas on how to enhance the sport of college football, along with other conversations about the current landscape of a profession that changes on what feels like a weekly basis.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
-
Now that Princess Eugenie has announced her new pregnancy, there have been questions about how this new baby changes the narrative around the royal, particularly considering the scandal surrounding both her parents.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The answer to that question varies greatly from individual to individual.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
-
There is also some suggestion that the natural resin scent may discourage small rodents from nesting nearby, though this effect varies and is not guaranteed.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Installed within the Westchester Regional Library, a Brutalist structure defined by raw concrete and geometric weight, the exhibition also shifts the context in which the work is encountered.—
Miguel Sirgado,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
-
The Goldrich, added Kean, shifts the landscape from darkness to light.—
Solvej Schou,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
The inherent value of some watches fluctuates on a daily basis because of the materials.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
-
When estrogen fluctuates wildly postpartum or during perimenopause, ADHD symptoms often get dramatically worse.—
Sarah Oreck,
SELF,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mutates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mutates. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
