Verbs for Change · Verbs: Making Changing

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 rearrange the order of things

"Permute the numbers in the sequence."

"The mathematician needed to permute the numbers in different ways to solve the complex equation."

to change or make something in a way that better serves a particular task, person, etc.

"Customize your phone with various settings."

"The car enthusiast likes to customize his vehicle with unique paint colors and after market parts that no one else has."

to customize something to suit an individual's needs, preferences, or characteristics

"Personalize the gift with her name."

"She personalized the gift by having the jeweler engrave the recipient's initials on the back of the beautiful gold watch."

to make a waste product usable again

"People recycle plastic bottles and paper."

"It is important to recycle plastic bottles and paper to help protect the environment for future generations."

to return or bring something into a standard or acceptable state

"The medication normalizes his blood pressure."

"The two countries agreed to normalize diplomatic relations after decades of hostility and trade restrictions between them."

to make something follow a set standard or rule, ensuring it is consistent and uniform

"The company standardized its procedures."

"The company decided to standardize its operating procedures across all branches to ensure consistent quality of service for customers everywhere."

to expand by exploring new areas, options, or opportunities

"The company branched out into new markets."

"The successful restaurant decided to branch out into catering services to reach more customers and increase its revenue."

to start or grow to be

"She wants to become a teacher."

"He wants to become a pilot when he grows up and fly airplanes all over the world."

to change and become something else

"A caterpillar turns into a butterfly."

"The tiny caterpillar will eventually turn into a beautiful butterfly after several weeks inside the chrysalis."

to cause genetic changes

"The virus can mutate."

"Scientists are concerned that the virus may mutate rapidly, making current treatments less effective."

to move or oscillate continually

"Prices fluctuate a lot."

"The stock market tends to fluctuate wildly during periods of economic uncertainty and global instability."

to experience change, often in response to different situations or conditions

"Prices vary greatly."

"The quality of the ingredients will often vary depending on the season and location."

to make a person or thing different

"The weather can change quickly."

"The new manager plans to change the company's entire marketing strategy to increase customer engagement."

to change the appearance, character, or nature of a person or object

"A caterpillar transforms into a butterfly."

"The caterpillar will transform into a beautiful butterfly after spending several weeks inside its chrysalis."

to cause something to change

"Do not alter the original document."

"The new medication may alter your sleep patterns so take it in the morning rather than at night."

to cause an object or image to change its shape smoothly and seamlessly

"The caterpillar morphed into a butterfly."

"The tiny tadpole will gradually morph into a frog over several weeks of growth."

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 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 change something in a way that suits a new purpose or situation better

"We adapt quickly."

"Organisms must adapt to changing environmental conditions to survive and thrive in their habitats."

to adjust something to improve its functioning, accuracy, or performance

"Tune the guitar strings before playing."

"The musician tuned his guitar carefully before the concert to make sure that every note would sound perfect and clear."

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 adjust something to be in a suitable or desired condition for a specific purpose or use

"She sets the table for dinner."

"You need to set the table before the guests arrive for dinner tonight."

to change the form, purpose, character, etc. of something

"Convert the currency before traveling."

"The company plans to convert the old warehouse into modern loft apartments for young professionals seeking affordable housing in the city."

to change from one thing, such as a task, major, conversation topic, job, etc. to a completely different one

"She switches topics quickly."

"He decided to switch careers after realizing his current job was not fulfilling."

to customize or modify something to fit an individual or market's specific preferences

"We tailor the suit."

"The company decided to tailor their marketing strategy specifically to the preferences of the younger demographic."

to make a book, newspaper, or magazine ready for publication through revision, correction, etc.

"She edits the magazine before publication."

"The film editor spent several weeks to edit the raw footage into a coherent movie."

to make changes to something, especially in response to new information, feedback, or a need for improvement

"Revise your essay before submitting it."

"You should revise your essay at least twice to catch any spelling or grammar mistakes before submitting it for grading."

to treat or handle something in a specific way to get it ready for a particular purpose, improve its condition, or fix any issues

"Process the ingredients."

"The factory will process the raw materials into finished consumer goods."

to convert coded information into an understandable format

"I decode the message."

"The cryptographer worked tirelessly to decode the ancient manuscript, revealing its hidden historical secrets."

to transform data into a coded form

"Encode the message for security purposes."

"The computer uses a special algorithm to encode the sensitive data so that hackers cannot read the information easily."

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 shift from one system, state, item, etc. to another

"Change over to winter tires now."

"The factory will change over to the new production line next month after the old equipment is removed."