MUTATES Synonyms: 19 Similar and Opposite Words

mutates

verb

present tense third-person singular of mutate

as in changes

to pass from one form, state, or level to another colored lights that slowly mutate from green to blue and so on across the color spectrum

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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 mutates Although flu seasons can vary in disease severity, the virus mutates so unpredictably that pandemic flu seasons – like those in 1918, 1957, 1968 and 2009 – are a recurring possibility. — Katrine L. Wallace, The Conversation, 24 June 2026 Measles mutates slowly enough that researchers can in many cases search for essentially the same strain when tracking its movements. — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026 This dynamic drives a phenomenon called antigenic shift meaning that the vaccine paradoxically encourages new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mutates

Verb

Her physical absence changes nothing about the circumstances of our friendship.

— Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Cocktail-style gatherings where guests mingle and stand have become more common than seated dinners, which changes what a patio needs.

— Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of changes

Verb

Their goal was for the album to tell a story of radicalization, following a protagonist who shifts from complacency to an awareness of injustice and institutional oppression, and ultimately resolves to act against it.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
This then shifts the star’s color away from the more typical orange, white, and blue.

— Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of shifts

Verb

Locking in flexible covenant thresholds during healthy quarters protects operational sovereignty when revenue fluctuates temporarily.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Today, these pre-1965 coins are sought after not for their use as currency, but for their silver content, giving them a value that fluctuates with the broader precious metals market.

— Nick Perry, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of fluctuates

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“Mutates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mutates. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of mutates

verb

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