change 1 of 2

noun

Definition of changenext
1
as in alteration
the act, process, or result of making different the positive change in our students' attitude toward people who are somehow different was a long and gradual process

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fluctuation
the frequent and usually sudden passing from one condition to another there is nothing so constant as change itself

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in money
something (as pieces of stamped metal or printed paper) customarily and legally used as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment she spent quite a chunk of change on that car

Synonyms & Similar Words

change

2 of 2

verb

ˈchānj How to pronounce change (audio)
1
as in to modify
to make different in some way my wife has changed the look of our living room more times than we care to remember

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to vary
to pass from one form, state, or level to another the weather in New England is constantly changing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to exchange
to give up (something) and take something else in return would you mind changing your seat so my friends can sit together?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word change different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of change are alter, modify, and vary. While all these words mean "to make or become different," change implies making either an essential difference often amounting to a loss of original identity or a substitution of one thing for another.

changed the shirt for a larger size

When might alter be a better fit than change?

Although the words alter and change have much in common, alter implies a difference in some particular respect without suggesting loss of identity.

slightly altered the original design

When is it sensible to use modify instead of change?

The synonyms modify and change are sometimes interchangeable, but modify suggests a difference that limits, restricts, or adapts to a new purpose.

modified the building for use by the disabled

Where would vary be a reasonable alternative to change?

In some situations, the words vary and change are roughly equivalent. However, vary stresses a breaking away from sameness, duplication, or exact repetition.

vary your daily routine

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of change
Noun
The summer that follows will see an urgency for change, a new direction. — Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2025 Rule changes and criminal accusations In a Tuesday meeting, Republican and Democratic legislative leaders unanimously changed rules for assembly in communal areas inside the Topeka Statehouse and on its grounds. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
Now, with the 14th anniversary of the devastating tornado approaching, Netflix's documentary Twister: Caught in the Storm, out on March 19, takes a closer look at how the natural disaster changed the city of Joplin and its residents forever. — Alex Gurley, People.com, 19 Mar. 2025 However, there should be just as much concern with growing the game in the U.S. -- and don't try to justify doing that by changing some rules in the game. — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for change
Recent Examples of Synonyms for change
  1. alteration
  2. fluctuation
  3. money
  4. modify
  5. vary
  6. exchange
  7. difference
  8. oscillation
Noun
  • The Italian official said alterations were not detected by eye and only were revealed by examining the seams of the crotch area of the ski suits after the competition.
    — Graham Dunbar, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Intense alteration on early Mars revealed by high-aluminum rocks at Jezero crater.
    — Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of alteration
Noun
  • Companies like Lowe’s and Starbucks illustrate this fluctuation – both eliminated their CMO positions only to reinstate similar roles shortly afterward.
    — Roger Dooley, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
  • And those galaxies trace out the initial fluctuations set up by inflation.
    — Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of fluctuation
Noun
  • By revoking money from global-health efforts, the U.S. has created the conditions for the health of people around the world to deteriorate, which will give tuberculosis even more opportunities to kill.
    — John Green, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Though the investments may seem legitimate, criminals eventually disappear with the consumers’ money.
    — Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of money
Verb
  • But while public opinion has swayed towards Trump on border security and deportations, polling shows that a majority of Americans disapprove of the president’s position on modifying birthright citizenship, with a recent Pew survey measuring 56% opposed to his executive order and just 43% in favor.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes and, Miami Herald, 15 Mar. 2025
  • So, by modifying mouse genes to mimic these changes, the researchers have successfully engineered a living model of mammoth-like traits—a first-of-its-kind experiment in de-extinction science.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of modify
Verb
  • Weight Cricut machines can vary greatly in weight, ranging from only a few pounds to 15 pounds or more.
    — Amanda Ogle, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2025
  • In the future, northern hemisphere summer will take place when Earth is closer to the sun, as Earth's orbital elongation, or eccentricity, varies.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of vary
Verb
  • The Bulldogs stormed back and cut the lead to one with 29 seconds left after both teams exchanged buckets for several minutes.
    — Ryan Morik, Fox News, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The eldest Duggar daughter, got engaged June 15 and exchanged vows during a traditional ceremony in front of 500 guests in Prairie Grove, Ark.
    — Rachel Flynn, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of exchange
Noun
  • And compared with something more pedestrian, like the Apple iMac, which uses a standard M4 processor, the difference in multicore processing performance is vast.
    — PCMAG, PCMAG, 11 Mar. 2025
  • The difference primarily is in the attitudes of Republicans, Jackson said of societal shifts reflected in the data.
    — Adriel Bettelheim, Axios, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of difference
Noun
  • Those ripples, or bubbles, are known as baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO).
    — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The rapid oscillations allow for more precise timekeeping, as the watch can divide time into smaller increments.
    — Bhanu Chopra, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
Definition of oscillation

Phrases Containing change

Browse Nearby Words

change
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Change.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/change. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on change

Nglish: Translation of change for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about change

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All