It is not clear whether Lander intended to alter Emmet's style from the beginning.
Source: tatoeba (29724)
Alter
/ˈɒl.tə/
Synonyms for "alter" (487 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (98)
Verb(34 words)
Noun(36 words)
Adjective(2 words)
changeantchanged policy
Strong matches (146)
Noun(55 words)
changing quantitychanging seasonschanging systemchanging trendschaosescommunity program impactcommutingconditioningconjugatecontrol panel tamperingconvert to queryconvertscorruptcorruptingcryosphere changecultural revolution impactcultural system changesdeformeddenaturingdeviate from the route
Show 35 more words
diddlingdimension changedisguisedistortingdoctordocument editdocument tamperingdramatically alterdrifting voltagedutch veranderenecosystem dysfunction impactseditseducation changeelectoral reformenergy changing processevents impacting learningfakesformal motion to changefunctionalizinggerman änderngradual cultural system changegreatly affectiliamnaimpactimpactsinflectinginfluenceinfluence factorsinfluencesitalian cambiarejostleskind changelandscapelandscape ecologicallinguistic influence
checkerchopchop and changecircumscribecome aboutcome aroundcome roundcome round toconditionconvertdeformdegeneratedenaturedeterioratedeviatedilutediminishdistortdivergediversify
Verb(31 words)
conformconvertconvertedcorkedcorruptedcretanizesdefacedenatureddenaturesdifferentiatedistortdistorteddisturbseditemendfalsifyfinaglesfoldedforeignizesgarbles
Show 11 more words
impactedimpactinginfluence verbinfluencedinfluencing strategiesinnovateinteracted outcomesinterferedinterpolatejuggledmake a change
Adjective(8 words)
deliberate changedynamic shiftegyptianizableenvironmental impactfrench changergradual policy preference changelinguistic gradual driftlocal market disruption
Related words (243)
Noun(82 words)
manglemanipulate chemicallymanipulated chemicallymanipulatingmarket changemean deviationmedia shiftedmessingmetamorphosesmoddingmodified quizmodifier typemodify language learning planmodifyingmodifying termmodifying wordmodsmonkeyingmore signal amendment intentmotion change proposal
Show 62 more words
motion changingmudamuddle the recordsmutatingmutilatingnature changesnorwegian endrenudgeopinion changeph indicator changepolish transformowaćpolymorphrange examplerapidly changingreadjustingredefiningreform lawsremixremodelsrestructuresromanian transformaschedule change exclamationschool leadership influenceshape differenceshape valuesshiftingshifting valueshiftssize mediumsize termsizingsluesolute changespace beingspanish mudarstepwise changeswedish förändraswitchswitchesswitchingtackstailortailored to a teetailoringtailoring servicestailorstamperingtamperstechnology adoption turning pointtemporary effecttexturetheory change lessontheory changedtingestransformative designtransformingtransformstransitioningtransitionstransmutingvaryingword form grammar
Verb(59 words)
manipulate genetic materialmanipulatedmanipulatesmeddlesmessedmetamorphosemetamorphosedmoddedmodificarmodifiedmodifiesmodify concentrationmodify policymodulatedmudadomutatedmutatesmutilatemutilatesneuter
Show 39 more words
perturbperturbedperturbingperturbsreadjustreadjustsreconfiguredrectangularizerectifiesredefineredesign a devicerefashionsrefittedreshuffledrevampreworkscaledshow color changesizedspayswitchedswizzledtailorizetamperedtransfiguretransfigurestransformtransformedtransmogrifytransmutetransmutedtransmutestransumetweakedvandalizevariatevariedvariegatevaries
memelioratemelt intomitigatemoderatemodifymodulatemutatemutilatenarrownumber oneoneselfopen intoother selfoverthrowpalliatepass intoprocessqualifyre create
Show 72 more words
re-createrealignrebuildreconstructredesignreducerefitreformregulateregulate byremakeremodelrenewreplacereshaperestrainrestrictrestructurerevampreverserevisereviverevolutionizering the changesripen intorun intoseasonselfset conditionsset limitssettle intosheshiftshift intoshift the sceneshuffle the cardssoftenspaysterilizesublimatesubvertsuperegoswervetacktailortake a turntemperthemthemselvestheytransformtranslateturnturn asideturn intoturn over a new leafturn the cornerturn the scaleturn the tablesturn the tideturn toturn upside downtwistundergo a changeunsexvaryveerwarpwork a changeworsenyouyourself
Adjective(9 words)
mutable attributenew convertnonnumeric modifierprocedural motion to changeseasonal pattern shifttailoredtransformed statevarying attributeweathered soil
Determiner(1 words)
no friction influence
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: modify, amend, change, vary, a changé.
- Sentence evidence is available for alter, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "alter".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "alter"
Keep "alter" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "alter" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "alter", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "alter" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
19 entriesShowing 16 of 19 words.
More specific
5 entriesCollocations
6 entriesappearance alterationcourse alterationhabit alterationplan alterationschedule alterationsettings alteration
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesSample sentences
23 total sentences available.
The slave was anxious to alter his destiny.
Source: tatoeba (44782)
As the artist grows older his paintings may alter.
Source: tatoeba (48445)
After weighing all these considerations, the promoters will present their scheme in the form of a private bill; however, they might find themselves forced to alter the route in order to meet criticisms in Parliament.
Source: tatoeba (62351)
Showing 4 of 23 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "alter"?
Closest matches include modify, amend, change, vary, a changé.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "alter"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.