altered

1 of 2

adjective

al·​tered ˈȯl-tərd How to pronounce altered (audio)
Synonyms of alterednext
1
: made different in some way
… she addressed me again, speaking in very altered tones; so altered, that I hardly recognised them as hers.—Wilkie Collins
… no great change had taken place inside him, but his exterior was visibly altered.—Booth Tarkington
2
: castrated sense 1a
I've noticed that my altered cats and my older cats have more dandruff than the unaltered and younger ones.—Susie Page

altered

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of alter

Examples of altered in a Sentence

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Adjective
Policymakers have been quick to react to the altered energy dynamics. — semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026 The regions of the brain that control emotion and memory, like the amygdala and hippocampus, also function differently during this altered state. — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026 Research has linked altered cortisol activity with greater abdominal and visceral fat, although the relationship is complex. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026 Current quality checks are efficient at detecting simple genetic changes, such as an altered DNA letter or a small piece of DNA that has been removed or added. — Euan Ashley, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for altered

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of alter

First Known Use

Adjective

1563, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of altered was in 1563

Rhymes for altered

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Browse Nearby Words

alter Christus
altered
altered chord
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Cite this Entry

“Altered.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/altered. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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