noun
-
an adjustment, change, or modification
-
the act of altering or state of being altered
Other Word Forms
- prealteration noun
- proalteration adjective
- realteration noun
Etymology
Origin of alteration
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English alteracioun, from Medieval Latin alterātiōn-, stem of alterātiō; equivalent to alter + -ation
Explanation
The pants are too long, the jacket too tight and the vest is too short. Looks like your suit is in need of some serious alteration, or adjustment. No one knows alterations like tailors. All they do is adjust, modify and otherwise alter people's ill fitting clothes. But hemlines aren't the only things that can undergo alteration. Savvy scientists may someday make alterations to genetic sequencing — just like Dr. Jekyll underwent some serious alterations to become Mr. Hyde.
Vocabulary lists containing alteration
Vocabulary from The Articles of Confederation
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Seedfolks
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Their analysis indicates that much of the iron was highly "weathered," meaning it had undergone extensive chemical alteration over time.
From Science Daily • Feb. 4, 2026
The White House post offered no disclaimer that the image had been edited, and it was not immediately clear whether the alteration was done using an AI tool or other photo editing software.
From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026
That last alteration, in 1990, followed a World Cup characterised by defensive football.
From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026
She cites an alteration in the “tone of their correspondence,” pointing to “a declaration, a recognition, or more” that “changes everything.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025
When sharps and flats are used, remember that the alteration is always from the scale of the chord root, not from the key signature.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
