Modify

//ˈmɒdɪfaɪ// verb

verb ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To change part of. transitive

    "Her publisher advised her to modify a few parts of the book to make it easier to read."

  2. 2
    cause to change; make different; cause a transformation wordnet
  3. 3
    To be or become modified. intransitive
  4. 4
    make less severe or harsh or extreme wordnet
  5. 5
    To set bounds to; to moderate. transitive
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    add a modifier to a constituent wordnet
  2. 7
    To qualify the meaning of. transitive

    "There is inherently no ordering to the modification and no hierarchy of modification: that is, both adjectives modify the substantive and both apply equally to the substantive[…]"

Synonyms

All synonyms
adaptalterchangequalifyaffectabate

Example

More examples

"You'll have to modify the height of the table to make it fit."

Etymology

From Middle English modifien, from Middle French modifier, from Latin modificare (“to limit, control, regulate, deponent”), from modificari (“to measure off, set bound to, moderate”), from modus (“measure”) + facere (“to make”); see mode.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.