Changing and Forming: English Vocabulary List

to convert a substance from a solid or liquid state into gas

"The heat will vaporize the water."

"The intense heat from the fire was enough to vaporize the small puddle of water within just a few seconds."

to cause a profound change in the form, structure, or substance of something

"A caterpillar metamorphoses into a butterfly."

"The tiny caterpillar will eventually metamorphose into a beautiful butterfly after spending several weeks inside its protective cocoon."

to change something's nature, appearance, or substance into something different and usually better

"Alchemists tried to transmute lead into gold."

"The alchemist falsely claimed that he could transmute ordinary lead into pure gold using a secret formula."

to change the form, appearance, or nature of something

"The sunset transfigured the entire landscape."

"The makeup artist managed to transfigure the actor into an old man using only prosthetics and special effects."

to change something in a significant or fundamental way

"The internet revolutionized global communication."

"The invention of the smartphone revolutionized the way people communicate and access information all around the entire world."

to make something change from a particular state, condition or position to another

"We will transition now."

"The company is currently transitioning to a new software system which may cause some temporary disruptions in workflow."

to rub a surface with sandpaper or another abrasive material to smooth, shape, or remove imperfections

"Sand the wood until it becomes smooth."

"You need to sand the rough edges of the wooden table before you can apply the new coat of paint."

to force or shape a material, often a plastic or metal, through a die or a mold to create a specific form

"The machine extrudes plastic into pipes."

"The machine uses high pressure to extrude the melted plastic through a small hole to create thin filaments."

to make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse or more severe

"His comments only exacerbated the argument."

"His rude comments only served to exacerbate the already tense situation between the two angry coworkers in the office."

to cause gradual destruction or damage of something

"The old fruit began to decay."

"If you leave the fruit out for too long it will eventually decay and become completely inedible and rotten."

to transform from a liquid or flexible state into a stable, firm, or compact form

"The liquid will solidify when cooled."

"The mixture will solidify as it cools so you must pour it into the mold while it is still hot."

to convert a liquid into gas

"The puddle evaporated under the hot sun."

"The morning dew will evaporate quickly once the sun rises and warms up the grass in the park."

to make a substance one with a liquid

"Sugar dissolves easily in hot tea."

"Sugar will easily dissolve in hot tea but it takes much longer to dissolve in cold water completely."

to melt a material or object with intense heat in order to join it with something else

"The metals fuse together at high heat."

"The intense heat caused the two metal pieces to fuse together into a single solid object permanently."

to cause something or a group of things or people to divide into smaller parts or groups

"The group decided to split into two teams."

"The large group decided to split into two smaller teams to cover more ground during the search operation."

to change organic material into stone or a stone-like substance

"Wood can petrify."

"Fossilized trees are ancient wood that has undergone a long process to petrify, turning it into stone."

to make minor changes to something so that it is more suitable or better

"You can modify the settings easily."

"You will need to modify your workout routine if you want to see any real improvement in your strength."

to develop mentally, physically, and emotionally

"Apples mature in the autumn season."

"His painting style continued to mature over the years as he gained more experience and confidence in his work."

to change or adjust something in order to achieve a desired effect

"The music modulates into a higher key."

"The singer had to modulate her voice to reach the high notes at the end of the difficult song."

to change something in order to add variety to it

"The company needs to diversify its products."

"The company decided to diversify its products to reduce the risk of relying on only one source of income."

to slightly alter or move something in order to improve it or make it work better

"Adjust your seat before driving."

"You may need to adjust the seat height if you cannot reach the pedals comfortably while driving the car."

to reduce the thickness or height of something, making it less raised or elevated in its shape or form

"Flatten the dough with a rolling pin."

"The heavy steamroller slowly moved across the fresh asphalt to flatten the road surface completely and make it smooth."

to crush something into small particles by rubbing or pressing it against a hard surface

"Grind the coffee beans into powder."

"You should grind the coffee beans just before brewing to get the freshest and most flavorful cup of coffee."

to change from a gaseous state to a liquid state

"Steam will condense."

"When warm, moist air comes into contact with a cold surface, it will condense into tiny water droplets."

to cause something to change into one or more crystals

"Sugar can crystallize."

"Allowing the sugar syrup to cool slowly will help it crystallize into beautiful, edible sugar shards."

to give a soft substance a particular shape or form by placing it into a mold or pressing it

"Mold the clay into a bowl shape."

"The children used their hands to mold the wet clay into small animals and funny shapes during art class."