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Definition of 'alter'

Word Frequency

alter

(ɔːltəʳ )

Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense alters , present participle altering , past tense, past participle altered

verb

If something alters or if you alter it, it changes.

Little had altered in the village. [VERB]

They have never altered their programmes by a single day. [VERB noun]

Synonyms: change, turn, vary, transform More Synonyms of alter

More Synonyms of alter

COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

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Word Frequency

alter in British English

(ˈɔːltə )

verb

1.

to make or become different in some respect; change

2. (transitive) informal, mainly US a euphemistic word for castrate, spay

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Derived forms

alterable (ˈalterable)

adjective

alterably (ˈalterably)

adverb

alterability (ˌalteraˈbility)

noun

Word origin

C14: from Old French alterer, from Medieval Latin alterāre to change, from Latin alter other

Word Frequency

alter in American English

(ˈɔltər )

verb transitive

1.

to make different in details but not in substance; modify

2.

to resew parts of (a garment) for a better fit

3. US

to castrate or spay

verb intransitive

4.

to become different; change; vary

SIMILAR WORDS: change

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Derived forms

alterable (ˈalterable)

adjective

Word origin

ME alteren < ML alterare < L alter, other < IE *al- (see else) + -tero-, compar. suffix

Word Frequency

alter in American English

(ˈɔltər)

transitive verb

1.

to make different in some particular, as size, style, course, or the like; modify

to alter a coat

to alter a will

to alter course

2.

to castrate or spay

intransitive verb

3.

to change; become different or modified

Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

Derived forms

alterer

noun

Word origin

[1350–1400; ME ‹ OF alterer ‹ LL alterāre to change, worsen, deriv. of L alter other]

Word Frequency

alter. in American English

abbreviation

Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

Examples of 'alter' in a sentence
alter

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

Industrial policy means intervening to alter the structure of production to benefit sectors that are thought to offer better prospects for growth.He didn't expect me to change or alter my work pattern.No amount of political manoeuvring can alter the fact that Heathrow is in the wrong place.If you turn it into something which people would prefer to see, you are altering the facts of history. Negotiations in the past two months have centred on altering the balance of the offer, as well as raising the price.That goal, he now reflects, altered the course of his life more than he had expected.Without altering its structure the landscape shrugged off the works of man.These pulses make you alter your position and stop snoring.With his departure there was an incident that almost altered the course of the war.His business cards play on this alter ego.

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COBUILD Collocations
alter

alter the balance

alter the course of

alter the dynamics of

alter the structure of

Trends of
alter

View usage for:

In other languages
alter

British English: alter /ˈɔːltə/ VERB

If something alters, or if you alter it, it changes.

Not much had altered in the village.

American English: alter
Arabic: يُبَدِّلُ
Brazilian Portuguese: alterar
Chinese: 改变
Croatian: promijeniti
Czech: změnit (se)
Danish: ændre
Dutch: veranderen
European Spanish: alterar
Finnish: muuttaa toisenlaiseksi
French: altérer
German: ändern
Greek: αλλάζω
Italian: modificare
Japanese: 変更する
Korean: ...을 바꾸다
Norwegian: endre
Polish: zmienić
European Portuguese: alterar
Romanian: a schimba"a altera,
Russian: изменять
Latin American Spanish: alterar
Swedish: ändra
Thai: ปรับเปลี่ยน
Turkish: değiştirmek
Ukrainian: змінювати
Vietnamese: thay đổi

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Nearby words of
alter

Related terms of
alter

Source

Definition of alter from the Collins English Dictionary

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Question: 1

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palate or palette or pallet?

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Smooth the top using a palate knife. Smooth the top using a palette knife. Smooth the top using a pallet knife.

rain or reign or rein?

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rein

rain

reign

The planners keep a tight on building work.

tail or tale?

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The book includes a collection of stories, poems and the odd folk tail. The book includes a collection of stories, poems and the odd folk tale.

maize or maze?

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On the horizon they could see vast fields of maize. On the horizon they could see vast fields of maze.

bread or bred?

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bred

bread

She has always horses.

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Jan 08, 2021

Word of the day

fantasy

A fantasy is a pleasant situation or event that you think about and that you want to happen , especially one that is unlikely to happen.

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Scrabble score
for 'alter':
5

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Question: 1

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Score: 0 / 5

who's or whose?

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whose

who's

I saw a man shouting at a driver car was blocking the street.

did or done?

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done

did

Once we've that we will start again.

loot or lute?

Which version is correct?

Most try to sell their loot for cash on the black market. Most try to sell their lute for cash on the black market.

saw or seen?

Which version is correct?

I saw him yesterday. I seen him yesterday.

gamble or gambol?

Which version is correct?

I stopped to watch lambs gamble in the fields. I stopped to watch lambs gambol in the fields.

Your score:

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