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Definitions
Trivia Time
In Greek mythology, which shape-shifting sea god could alter his appearance at will?

alter

[awl-ter] / ˈɔl tər /




Usage

What is another way to say alter? To alter is to make some partial change, as in appearance, while still preserving the identity: to alter a dress, as by raising the hem (to change a dress would mean to put on a different one). To change is to make a material difference so that something is distinctly different from what it was: to change one's opinion. 

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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The laboratory findings suggest that certain sweeteners and medications can interact in ways that substantially alter the growth of particular gut microbes.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026

AI is surpassing human abilities in pursuits from mathematics to computer programming, while threatening to alter or even eradicate many jobs.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Now, he’s going to be applying for British citizenship, a change that could alter his comedic perspective.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

If traditional milestones like buying a home feel completely out of reach, behavioral experts say it can alter how people approach their everyday money decisions.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

Darwin's “gemmule” theory—that hereditary instructions were thrown adrift by all cells and then floated in the blood, like a million messages in bottles—suggested that blood transfusions might transmit gemmules and thereby alter heredity.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

"Future studies can build on this work to explore how psilocybin alters neural signaling, which serotonin pathways are involved, and why some aspects of social behavior are affected while others are not," concluded Currie.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026

Spanish meteorological research group Climatoc-Lab described it as "a manifestation of how global warming alters the hydrological cycle".

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

Whether the latest upswing in crude prices alters their longer-term outlook remains to be seen, as Brent’s return to triple digits sends government bond yields higher.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

In her version, Bernhard alters the lyrics to pay tribute to Sylvester, whose untimely death left an immense legacy.

From Salon ● Sep. 5, 2026

“But surely it alters them very much, living like that?” asked Dandelion.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

Understand the world with the help of the Muppets: In 2012, Dahlia Lithwick published a piece of cultural analysis that permanently altered how readers viewed their marriages, their workplaces, and the U.S.

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026

But open-weight models like those released by Chinese companies can be more easily altered and optimized by users for nefarious purposes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

The circumstances surrounding the release of “Toxicity” became even more surreal one week later, when the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks changed the country and altered the way some listeners interpreted the album.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

The weather has certainly altered in this area.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

Whistle in mouth, vest strapped on, altered only by the sling holding her shoulder in place.

From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds

Fintech founders have caught on to how Americans are altering their financial habits, and they’ve created new products to try to meet the moment.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

But he says "more than 30 years worth of behaviors" will need altering to make the railway run solely in the interests of the customer.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

"You're altering the microbiome of your gut, and perhaps creating antibiotic resistant bacteria in your body that will fight off the drug therapy the next time you really need it," he said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

Barr revises the work, altering identifying details, and publishes it to acclaim as a novel of his own.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

Lots of things happen around pageant season, but Mom altering dresses in the middle of our living room is not one of them.

From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy


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