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
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Recent Examples of mutation
Suppose a chance mutation in a species granted a random female the ability to reproduce all on her own, through parthenogenesis.
—
Elizabeth Kolbert,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
The Cicada variant has the potential to reduce protection from a vaccine or previous infection because of the number of mutations.
—
Eva Flowe
june 17,
Charlotte Observer,
17 June 2026
Her six-year-old son, Nico, has Down Syndrome, and both Nico and his three-year-old brother, Noah, are deaf, due to a mutation unrelated to Down Syndrome.
—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
15 June 2026
So, what causes these mutations and what's the impact?
—
Emily Kwong,
NPR,
9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mutation
Elizabeth Kolbert,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
The Cicada variant has the potential to reduce protection from a vaccine or previous infection because of the number of mutations.
—
Eva Flowe
june 17,
Charlotte Observer,
17 June 2026
Her six-year-old son, Nico, has Down Syndrome, and both Nico and his three-year-old brother, Noah, are deaf, due to a mutation unrelated to Down Syndrome.
—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
15 June 2026
So, what causes these mutations and what's the impact?
—
Emily Kwong,
NPR,
9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mutation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mutation
Noun
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Horvath said the county hopes to receive tens of millions of dollars in state funding for additional brush clearance, fuel modification, home hardening and other initiatives.
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These modifications are specific, positional and increasingly mappable.
Noun
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The film stars Gosling as Ryland Grace, an amnesiac teacher on a solo mission to save Earth from a sun-draining anomaly.
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Bobrovsky should still have tread on the tires, and maybe last season was an anomaly.
Noun
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The Fish and Wildlife Service says habitat alteration has reduced its range and abundance, because the butterflies need specific food plants and places to live and grow during critical stages of their life cycle.
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This data can be helpful in tracking changes in body composition due to alterations in patient diet, exercise level, or drug treatments.
Noun
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The other was some variation of this one — in fact, it’s been this exact one from the time a good friend, Larry Dorman, pushed for me, and the great Sun Sentinel sports editor Fred Turner called me in the Candlestick Stadium press box in San Francisco at the 1989 World Series.
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Beginning with the last World Cup in Qatar, though, Panini also began producing variations with special borders that are much more scarce.
Noun
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But that requires several changes to state law and the Colorado Constitution requires ballot measures address only one subject.
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Consider rearranging a corner of your home, because practical changes can lift your mood and productivity.
Noun
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In his one-year-old West Hollywood restaurant Darling, a large listening bar is centered in the middle of the airy room, the plywood shelves filled with rarities from Dolly Parton to Merle Haggard…and sometimes a touch of Madonna.
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Add to that the opportunity for mountain adventure without long travel days, and Montenegro is a true rarity.
Noun
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But there was a third global transformation on their heels.
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The real attraction is the transformation itself.
Noun
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Indirect prompt injection is the harder variant of the same flaw.
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Though family members were not encouraged to pursue genetic testing at the time, advances in research later revealed that her sister carried a pathogenic BRCA1 gene variant, prompting Evert to get tested herself.
Cite this Entry
“Mutation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mutation. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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