modification
noun
mod·i·fi·ca·tion
ˌmä-də-fə-ˈkā-shən 
1
: the limiting of a statement : qualification
With some modifications this statement is true today.—
J. B. Conant
J. B. Conant3
a
: the making of a limited change in something
… making the exactly minimum degree of modification to her institutions necessary to fit them to new conditions.—John Strachey
John Strachey
also
: the result of such a change
b
: a change in an organism caused by environmental factors
4
: a limitation or qualification (see qualification sense 1) of the meaning of a word by another word, by an affix, or by internal change
Examples of modification in a Sentence
The program can be used on all computers without modification.
They passed the law with only a few minor modifications.
The weather required some major modifications to our travel plans.
Recent Examples on the Web
These modifications provide Israel with greater independence in maintaining and upgrading the aircraft while improving mission adaptability in regional conflicts.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 May 2026
These don’t alter the underlying DNA sequence of the cells but are modifications or chemical tags that alter gene activity.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
The explosion occurred despite SpaceX assuring that what mission teams learned from the seventh flight prompted them to make several modifications to the vehicle.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 14 May 2026
Monitoring includes daily temperature checks, symptom screenings and activity modifications.
—Richard Ramos, CBS News, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for modification
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Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 May 2026
These don’t alter the underlying DNA sequence of the cells but are modifications or chemical tags that alter gene activity.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
The explosion occurred despite SpaceX assuring that what mission teams learned from the seventh flight prompted them to make several modifications to the vehicle.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 14 May 2026
Monitoring includes daily temperature checks, symptom screenings and activity modifications.
—Richard Ramos, CBS News, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for modification
Cite this Entry
“Modification.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/modification. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
modification
noun
mod·i·fi·ca·tion
ˌmäd-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən
1
a
: the act of modifying
b
: the state of being modified
2
: the limiting of a statement : qualification
3
: the result of modifying : partial change
modification of plans
Medical Definition
modification
noun
mod·i·fi·ca·tion
ˌmäd-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən
1
: the act or result of modifying something
2
: a change in an organism that is not inherited and that is caused by the influence of its environment
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