Synonym Chooser

How is the word transmute different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of transmute are convert, metamorphose, transfigure, transform, and transmogrify. While all these words mean "to change a thing into a different thing," transmute implies transforming into a higher element or thing.

attempted to transmute lead into gold

When might convert be a better fit than transmute?

Although the words convert and transmute have much in common, convert implies a change fitting something for a new or different use or function.

converted the study into a nursery

When is it sensible to use metamorphose instead of transmute?

The words metamorphose and transmute are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, metamorphose suggests an abrupt or startling change induced by or as if by magic or a supernatural power.

awkward girls metamorphosed into graceful ballerinas

When is transfigure a more appropriate choice than transmute?

The meanings of transfigure and transmute largely overlap; however, transfigure implies a change that exalts or glorifies.

joy transfigured her face

When would transform be a good substitute for transmute?

The words transform and transmute can be used in similar contexts, but transform implies a major change in form, nature, or function.

transformed a small company into a corporate giant

In what contexts can transmogrify take the place of transmute?

While the synonyms transmogrify and transmute are close in meaning, transmogrify suggests a strange or preposterous metamorphosis.

a story in which a frog is transmogrified into a prince

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 transmute Unparalleled at spotting the absurd and transmuting it into comic relief, turning what stings into what saves us. Lynette Rice, Deadline, 9 July 2025 Turning to drawing as a way to transmute her emotions, Ojih Odutola became a vessel for stories that seemed to write themselves, drawing deeply from her Igbo and Yoruba heritage. Essence, 17 June 2025 Perhaps the toughest part of finally finishing the book was continuing to come across material — during, for example, a summer 2024 expedition into L.A.’s dental veneer culture — that could no longer be transmuted into fiction. Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2025 Delving deep into sublime absurdity, Elster transmuted Bowie into a broad range of peculiar characters. Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for transmute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for transmute
Verb
  • Such a reclassification can transform a modest interest receipt into a complicated and expensive dispute with the tax authorities.
    Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Advanced computational algorithms then combine these multiple perspectives to reconstruct a detailed 3D image, offering a compact and efficient approach to high-resolution imaging that could transform how researchers study complex structures.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Customers can wrap the truck’s exterior paneling in a color or print of their choosing, as well as customize lighting and tires, and even convert the two-passenger flat bed truck into a 5-person SUV.
    Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2025
  • In his testimony, Norwood argues that Entergy failed to consider other less costly options for its generating project in Jefferson County, namely converting the already-existing White Bluff facility to burn natural gas.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Transmute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/transmute. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!