Alter
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˈɒl.tə/ · Part of speech verb
Quick meaning: Alter is a verb meaning (ambitransitive) To change the form or structure of.
Meaning
(ambitransitive) To change the form or structure of.
More Meanings
- (intransitive) To become different.
- (transitive) To tailor clothes to make them fit.
- (transitive) To castrate, neuter or spay (a dog or other animal).
- (transitive) To affect mentally, as by psychotropic drugs or illness.
- Misspelling of altar.
- (psychology, multiplicity) One of the personalities, identities, or selves in a person with dissociative identity disorder or another form of multiplicity.
Example Sentences
Near-synonym: tweak
No power in Venice can alter a decree.
It gilds all objects, but it alters none.
We don't know if he was altered on alcohol or drugs or anything […]
Word Forms
- alters
- altering
- altered
- altre
Synonyms for alter
Depending on context, synonyms include adapt, amend, change, convert, differentiate, innovate.
Antonyms for alter
Common opposites include preserve, leave.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include change, vary, interpolate, falsify, neuter, spay.
Commonly Confused & Compared Words
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.