mutation

noun

Definition of mutationnext
1
as in modification
a significant and basic change The sculpture series underwent several mutations as the artist experimented with different materials and techniques.

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2
as in anomaly
something that is a result of a change in the genes of a plant or animal This coloration in the bird's plumage is a rare mutation.

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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 mutation The virus spends approximately ten months of every year locked inside dormant mosquito eggs that overwinter beneath leaf litter and snow, with little to no viral replication, so few new mutations enter the population. — John Drake, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026 That’s because Adamala’s team had to create genetic variation synthetically, instead of allowing for random mutations in DNA. — Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 1 July 2026 Eventually, researchers identified mutations in a gene known as SLC13A5, revealing that both Tessa, 22, and Colton had inherited a rare recessive disorder. — Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 At last, in August 2024, a PB KIT D816V mutation test revealed that the ISM had progressed to aggressive systemic mastocytosis (ASM). — Shannon Dingey, Health, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mutation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mutation
  1. modification
  2. anomaly
  3. alteration
  4. variation
  5. change
  6. rarity
  7. transformation
  8. variant
Noun
  • The modification also attracted the attention of his HOA, which filed a lawsuit.
    — Michele Gile, CBS News, 2 July 2026
  • Specifically, policymakers cite the importance of more preventive care in addition to lifestyle modifications such as a better diet and more exercise that improve health independent of healthcare provision.
    — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of modification
Noun
  • The encouraging sign is that AI can now help police what AI builders are doing through agent simulation, anomaly detection and better observability.
    — Jason Andersen, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
  • Yes, Your Friends & Neighbors got an Emmy nomination for outstanding drama series and nothing else, a strange anomaly, though far from the day’s strangest anomaly.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
Definition of anomaly
Noun
  • The company, for its part, denied the accusation, noting that the alterations were not racially motivated.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 6 July 2026
  • Last year, another last-minute alteration was made at the Tour when stage 19 was shortened after an outbreak of contagious nodular dermatitis led to livestock being slaughtered on the original route.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of alteration
Noun
  • Making mini lava cakes is fussy, but this large format variation is as easy as can be.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 2 July 2026
  • Futsal is a variation of soccer that uses five players on each side and is popular in Argentina and Brazil.
    — Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
Definition of variation
Noun
  • Prices are subject to rapid, unpredictable changes due to factors like, but not limited to, supply/demand, weather, and geopolitical events.
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • Valerie Castile spoke Monday night about many changes inspired by her son’s death.
    — Tyler Quattrin, Twin Cities, 7 July 2026
Definition of change
Noun
  • Alex Bell, chairman emeritus of Sotheby’s UK and Old Masters worldwide, said the work succeeded because it combined scale, rarity, impeccable provenance, and immediate visual impact.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 1 July 2026
  • Amsterdam was largely laid out in the 17th century, making new land available for gardens a rarity.
    — Zoë Dare Hall, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of rarity
Noun
  • This led to vast transformations in surgery, childbirth, handwashing, sterilization and infection control, per NIH and the Science History Institute.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • Kardashian, 45, was first to debut North’s style transformation, posting her daughter with vibrant blue hair to her Instagram Stories in June 2025.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of transformation
Noun
  • That gap is what pulled the enterprise software vendors into the market this year, each launching its own variant in a bid to become the primary AI interface for work.
    — Jason Andersen, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • The mystery of why some people who carry a deadly gene variant might not have symptoms traces back a century, to when biologists were trying to understand how traits were passed from one generation to the next.
    — Roxanne Khamsi, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
Definition of variant

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Cite this Entry

“Mutation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mutation. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on mutation

Nglish: Translation of mutation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mutation

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