CHANGE Synonyms: 182 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

change 1 of 2

noun

Definition of change

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

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in fluctuation

the frequent and usually sudden passing from one condition to another there is nothing so constant as change itself

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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

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change

2 of 2

verb

ˈchānj

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to vary

to pass from one form, state, or level to another the weather in New England is constantly changing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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?

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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 organization did so in July, and city staff denied the request in August, citing changes to the character of the neighborhood and existing city code. — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026 These brain changes can, however, be early warning signs in the years before the onset of a stroke or memory problems. — Sadie Chafe, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026

Verb

But each individual hat will be situated in a nonrepeating pattern that continues to change no matter how large the overall tiling is. — Rachel Crowell, Scientific American, 12 Oct. 2026 Rankin plausibly argues that these laws, together with the gradual exclusion of the yakuza from their old domains in entertainment, finance, and the property business, changed the nature of crime in Japan. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for change

Recent Examples of Synonyms for change

Noun

Recently, the Griffin MSI also announced plans for alterations to the North Portico where the main entrance has always been, in the form of a welcome hall.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
These bridal redesigns start at £600, with simple alteration projects closer to £200.

— Bella Webb, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of alteration

Noun

Atmospheric fluctuations on shorter weekly or daily scales, such as sudden stratospheric warming events, polar vortex disruptions, or shifts in the Arctic Oscillation, can temporarily override the overarching El Niño pattern.

— Ahmad Bajjey, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Schimpf said the setup allows Anduril to give liquidity to employees without the distraction of stock price fluctuations.

— Samantha Subin, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of fluctuation

Noun

In 2024, the CFPB proposed a rule that would require the disclosure of tips and fees as finance charges as an APR, or the total yearly cost of borrowing money.

— Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
The question confronting Israel and its international partners is not simply whether money should flow into Gaza, but also who controls it—and whether the next arrangement will avoid the failures of the last.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of money

Verb

Depending on the script, an attacker could potentially steal information, modify files or install additional software.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
The new generation of therapeutic peptides is chemically modified to resist breakdown in the gastrointestinal tract, where traditional peptide drugs degrade before they can be absorbed.

— Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of modify

Verb

While performance varies with outdoor temperatures, heat pumps can deliver substantially more useful heat per unit of energy purchased than conventional electric resistance heating.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Depending on your Galaxy model and Gallery version, the exact location of the tagging controls may vary.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of vary

Noun

These functions can obscure crucial differences in how these activities are designed to reward users; a relatively small parlay wager can offer the possibility of an outsized, immediate payout if multiple outcomes occur.

— Aneri Jambusaria, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
The major difference is the old North Flag had a power reserve indicator, whereas the new one ditches that in favor of a GMT complication.

— Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of difference

Noun

That haziness gets more distorted on the title track, which hits its apex with siren-like oscillations.

— Cassidy Sollazzo, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026
However, the experiments demonstrated coordinated oscillations, not a robot capable of performing multiple practical tasks.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of oscillation

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“Change.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/change. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of change

noun

verb

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Synonyms of change

noun

verb

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