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Definitions

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.

See Examples For:

As a protective measure, the members tried to alter the club’s bylaws to raise the voting percentage required to approve a sale of the club, some members said.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 15, 2026

Count Binface is the satirical alter ego of comedian Jon Harvey, who has specialised in satire and been involved with BBC comedy shows, including The Thick of It and Have I Got News For You.

From BBC Aug. 14, 2026

The Kazakh meteorological service said the impact of the project is "local and short-lived," and that it "does not affect climate processes or alter the movement of air masses".

From Barron's Aug. 12, 2026

The results showed that silver nanocatalysts alter the electronic structure of the electrode surface in ways that favor oxygen reduction.

From Science Daily Aug. 10, 2026

But the young recruits were forbidden to alter the boots in any way.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

The change significantly alters the players’ preparation, starting with meal times, Aguirre told Mexican radio.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 3, 2026

I interviewed Christo in 2011, and he was eloquent about how his and his wife’s work alters perceptions of nature, and about the deliberately transient character of the art itself.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 20, 2026

"By reducing both inflammation and pain, GAE with resorbable microspheres may be the first procedure that alters the course of the disease, slowing its progression."

From Science Daily Jun. 17, 2026

Moreover, the repeal of this rule substantially alters settlement dynamics.

From MarketWatch Jun. 17, 2026

I need to find out whether the wind goes always in that direction or whether it alters like the air currents during the day and the night.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman

A second draft of the letter, dated March 4, contained altered language providing that the voter information would be “transferred” to HSI, with one exception: Voters’ party affiliation would be redacted, if possible, it said.

From Salon Aug. 15, 2026

What struck me from my conversation with Wilson and other executives was the way AI has altered their thinking on how to anticipate future technologies that are on the horizon.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 14, 2026

And then there’s just how enormously California’s natural places have altered and disappeared in the century since the last grizzly was killed.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 13, 2026

A person's dementia risk is shaped partly by factors that cannot be altered, including age, gender and genetics.

From Science Daily Aug. 6, 2026

Nomadic bands that stalked wild sheep gradually altered the constitutions of the herds on which they preyed.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Tekke can also switch to a 4-3-3 without majorly altering Salah's responsibilities, leaving the Egyptian as the focal point of the club's attacking threat.

From BBC Aug. 6, 2026

The debate is not about whether AI is real or whether it’s reshaping the U.S. economy by fundamentally altering corporate productivity, capital allocation and the labor market.

From MarketWatch Jul. 20, 2026

Through photosynthesis, they would begin the extremely slow process of altering the planet's atmosphere.

From Science Daily Jul. 17, 2026

They have known for decades that climate change is altering the frequency and intensity of several types of extreme weather events, including hurricanes, heat waves and extreme rainfall.

From Barron's Jul. 16, 2026

Most bacteria are totally preoccupied with browsing, altering the configurations of organic molecules so that they become usable for the energy needs of other forms of life.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas




Vocabulary lists containing alter


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