How to Use alter in a Sentence

alter

verb
  • I'll need to have the dress altered before the wedding.
  • This one small event altered the course of history.
  • He altered his will to leave everything to his sister.
  • Alcohol can alter a person's mood.
  • The place has altered in the 10 years since I left.
  • De’Aaron Fox’s plans for the All-Star break have been altered.
    — Jason Jones, sacbee, 14 Feb. 2018
  • On the ground, flakes alter every day, with the air, wind, and sun.
    — Juliana Hanle, Scientific American, 18 Nov. 2019
  • The acidic vinegar alters the color as the egg sits in the dye.
    — Rita Nader Heikenfeld, The Enquirer, 7 Apr. 2023
  • Not a word can be changed, cut, added, not a scene can be altered.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2023
  • The scheme changes and the vision for each player gets altered.
    — Omar Kelly, sun-sentinel.com, 12 Sep. 2019
  • The club have not altered his release clause in any way.
    — SI.com, 29 June 2018
  • Maybe the next great coach looms to alter a program’s course.
    — Alan Blinder, New York Times, 29 Nov. 2021
  • Some of the changes being proposed would alter the size of the tunnel.
    — Grace Hase, Mercury News, 27 June 2025
  • All this could be altered by a flick of a switch from Labour’s Corbyn.
    — Henry Porter, The Hive, 13 July 2017
  • The vaccines do not contain the virus and won't alter your DNA.
    — Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 14 Sep. 2021
  • All these new dams could do far more than alter the flow of streams.
    — Sharon Levy, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Dec. 2022
  • Below is a look at how each of these linchpins of the N.F.L. should alter the landscape of the league.
    — New York Times, 14 Mar. 2022
  • But one bad start won’t alter the Rangers’ desire to keep Darvish long-term.
    — Jeff Wilson, star-telegram, 4 July 2017
  • Use it sparingly though, as the vinegar can alter the taste of the egg.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 June 2025
  • That none of us should have the right to change or alter history in any way.
    — Nbc Universal, NBC News, 28 Apr. 2024
  • These alter the taste of your coffee and can even cause your machine to break down.
    — Scott Gilbertson, Wired News, 10 July 2025
  • The wind tunnel and the freefalls didn’t alter their performance.
    — Manasee Wagh, Popular Mechanics, 7 Nov. 2022
  • But this year’s could alter what thousands of students learn and who will teach them in the years to come.
    — oregonlive, 30 Apr. 2023
  • That did not alter the nature of her job, or her approach to it.
    — Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 14 June 2021
  • Genie+’s launch, though Disney may alter this list in the future.
    — Katie Rice, orlandosentinel.com, 8 Oct. 2021
  • But rain isn't the only thing that alters the earth beneath roads.
    — Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, 28 Feb. 2020
  • Two key facts that drive life on Earth are altered in orbit.
    — Tim Fernholz, Quartz, 2 Nov. 2019
  • It has been recreated and altered in countless ways in the years hence.
    — Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 28 June 2018
  • While his family pressures him to alter the lineup, his bond with Charles remains the strongest argument for his decision.
    — Ashley Vega, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
  • Following a strict high-protein diet without fiber could alter the gut microbiome, which could affect your gut health long term, Begdache says.
    — Erica Sweeney, EverydayHealth.com, 25 Aug. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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