Word · CEFR B2 · Frequency #2121
alter
改变；更改
to change or make something different
- 1.
To change the form or structure of.
改变形式或结构
- 2.
To become different.
变得不同。
- 3.
To tailor clothes to make them fit.
修改衣服以使其合身
- 4.
To castrate, neuter or spay (a dog or other animal).
对(狗或其他动物)进行阉割、去势或绝育。
- 5.
To affect mentally, as by psychotropic drugs or illness.
通过精神药物或疾病影响心理
变化；变得不同；改（衣服）；修改使其合身；影响（精神）；改变（意识状态）；阉割；给…绝育；改变形式或结构
In use
The tailor will alter the dress to fit you perfectly.
Global warming is altering weather patterns around the world.
He altered his plans after receiving new information.
alter + object
alter 是及物动词，直接接宾语。
We need to alter our plans.
我们需要改变我们的计划。
alter + object + to + noun
She altered the dress to a smaller size.
她把裙子改小了一号。
be altered
被动语态，强调被改变。
The schedule was altered.
时间表被改了。
Connections
Collocations
- alter one's plans
- 改变计划
- She had to alter her plans due to the weather.由于天气原因，她不得不改变计划。
- alter the course
- 改变方向
- The discovery altered the course of history.这一发现改变了历史的进程。
- alter someone's mind
- 改变某人的想法
- Nothing could alter his mind once it was made up.一旦他下定决心，什么都不能改变他的想法。
- alter the appearance
- 改变外观
- They altered the appearance of the building completely.他们彻底改变了建筑物的外观。
- alter the facts
- 篡改事实
- He was accused of altering the facts to suit his story.他被指控篡改事实以符合他的说法。
Idioms & figurative uses
Learner notes
Memory Tip
'alter' 谐音 '奥特'，像奥特曼变身改变形态。
Context & Register
语域：neutral 常见场景：academic、business、technical 通常用于正式或中性场合，如学术、商业或技术文本中，表示修改或改变。
Pronunciation & Spelling
Words like 'falter', 'halter', and 'altar' rhyme exactly with 'alter' (stressed vowel and following sounds match). 'Alder' looks similar but ends with /dər/ instead of /tər/, so it does not rhyme.
High-value vocabulary
该词属于 Oxford 核心词汇，值得优先掌握常见搭配和句型。
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 3，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.