Synonyms: change, restriction, variation, qualification More Synonyms of modify
2. verb
A word or group of words that modifies another word describes or classifies something, or restricts the meaning of the word.
[technical]
It is a rule of English that adjectives generally precede the noun they modify: wesay 'a good cry', not 'a cry good'. [VERB noun]
More Synonyms of modify
English Easy Learning GrammarAdjectivesAdjectives are used with nouns to make the meaning more specific. If you use the noun ‘bear’ it can mean any animal of that species. As soon as yousay ... Read more
modify in British English
(ˈmɒdɪˌfaɪ)
verbWord forms: -fies, -fying or -fied(mainly tr)
1.
to change the structure, character, intent, etc, of
2.
to make less extreme or uncompromising
to modify a demand
3. grammar
(of a word or group of words) to bear the relation of modifier to (another word or group of words)
4. linguistics
to change (a vowel) by umlaut
5. (intransitive)
to be or become modified
Derived forms
modifiable (ˈmodiˌfiable)
adjective
modifiability (ˌmodiˌfiaˈbility) or modifiableness (ˈmodiˌfiableness)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Old French modifier, from Latin modificāre to limit, control, from modus measure + facere to make
modify in American English
(ˈmɑdəˌfaɪ)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈmodiˌfied or ˈmodiˌfying
1.
to change or alter; esp., to change slightly or partially in character, form, etc.
2.
to limit or reduce slightly; moderate
to modify a penalty
3. Grammar
to limit the meaning of; qualify
“old” modifies “man” in “old man”
4. Linguistics
to change the form of a morpheme to indicate grammatical relations or derivation
verb intransitive
5.
to be modified
SIMILAR WORDS: change
Derived forms
modifiable (ˈmodiˌfiable)
adjective
Word origin
ME modifien < MFr < L modificare, to limit, regulate < modus, measure (see mode) + facere, to make: see do1
Examples of 'modify' in a sentence
modify
People always modify their behaviour if they know a camera is running.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
They need to learn to modify these to become acceptable to adult society.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The new technology also makes genetically modified organisms less objectionable.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The frame has been modified to improve stability at speed.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Many of the proposals released in advance revolve around tax incentives to modify behaviour.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The bird is clearly controlling its behaviour and modifying it in detail according to what the intruder does.
Evans, Peter & Deehan, Geoff The Descent of Mind - the how and why of intelligence (1990)
Be sure that clauses acting as adjectives clearly modify the noun they are supposed to modify in the sentence.
Marius, Richard A Short Guide to Writing About History (1995)
If we suddenly find ourselves in a situation where we receive no positive feedback our social behaviour would be modified.
Knowles, Jane Know Your Own Mind (1991)
We need to modify our behaviour.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Their purpose is to modify behaviour.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We also modify our behaviour by observing the behaviour of those around us and by becoming influenced by social expectations and values.
Knowles, Jane Know Your Own Mind (1991)
So he modified it to become the accent from nowhere, so he would fit in.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
To cope with this uncomfortable feeling, bankers recently modified their behaviour.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The adjectives angry and young modify the noun men; the adjectives vulnerable and weaker modify the noun beings.
Bachmann, Susan (editor) & Barth, Melinda Between Worlds: A Reader, Rhetoric and Handbook (1995)
That our viewpoints become modified?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
From the 1980s we have been modifying it to make it more flexible, with some success.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The basic, elegant design is already complete; modifying it to improve service will be an afterthought.
Davidow, William H. & Uttal, Bro Total Customer Service (The Ultimate Weapon) (1990)
The high-quality research we carried out could not have been conducted without cages, which were continually improved and modified.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
modify
British English: modify /ˈmɒdɪˌfaɪ/ VERB
If you modify something, you change it slightly in order to improve it.
He modified the recipe and it became one of the restaurant's most popular dishes.
American English: modify
Arabic: يُعَدِّلُ
Brazilian Portuguese: modificar
Chinese: 修改
Croatian: modificirati
Czech: upravit změnit
Danish: ændre
Dutch: wijzigen
European Spanish: modificar
Finnish: muokata
French: modifier
German: modifizieren
Greek: τροποποιώ
Italian: modificare
Japanese: 変更する
Korean: 수정하다
Norwegian: endre
Polish: zmodyfikować
European Portuguese: modificar
Romanian: a modifica
Russian: модифицировать
Latin American Spanish: modificar
Swedish: ändra
Thai: เปลี่ยนแปลงแก้ไข
Turkish: değişiklik yapmak
Ukrainian: удосконалювати
Vietnamese: sửa đổi
Chinese translation of 'modify'
modify
(ˈmɔdɪfaɪ)
vt
[machine]改装(裝) (gǎizhuāng)
[policy, plan]修改 (xiūgǎi)
1 (verb)
Definition
to change or alter slightly
They agreed to modify their recruitment policy.
Synonyms
change
They should change the law to make it illegal to own replica weapons.
reform
his plans to reform the country's economy
vary
The colour can be varied by adding filters.
convert
By converting the loft, they were able to have two extra bedrooms.
transform
the speed at which your body transforms food into energy
alter
They have never altered their programmes.
adjust
To attract investors the country has adjusted its tax laws.
adapt
Shelves were built to adapt the library for use as an office.
revise
He soon came to revise his opinion.
remodel
rework
tweak (informal)
The system should get better as engineers tweak its performance.
reorganize
recast
reshape
redo
refashion
2 (verb)
Definition
to make less extreme or uncompromising
He had to modify his language considerably.
Synonyms
tone down
limit
He limited payments on the country's foreign debt.
reduce
Consumption is being reduced by 25 per cent.
lower
The new measures will lower the risk.
qualify
I would qualify that by putting it into context.
relax
He gradually relaxed his grip on the arms of the chair.
ease
The heavy snow had eased a little.
restrict
moderate
They are hoping that she will be persuaded to moderate her views.
temper
He had to learn to temper his enthusiasm.
soften
He could not think how to soften the blow of what he had to tell her.
restrain
lessen
Keep immunisations up to date to lessen the risk of serious illness.
abate
a government programme to abate greenhouse gas emissions
Additional synonyms
in the sense of abate
Definition
to make or become less strong
a government programme to abate greenhouse gas emissions
Synonyms
reduce,
slow,
relax,
ease,
relieve,
moderate,
weaken,
dull,
diminish,
decrease,
lessen,
alleviate,
quell,
mitigate,
attenuate,
slake
in the sense of adapt
Definition
to change something to suit a new purpose
Shelves were built to adapt the library for use as an office.
Synonyms
convert,
change,
prepare,
fit,
fashion,
make,
shape,
suit,
qualify,
transform,
alter,
modify,
tailor,
remodel,
tweak (informal),
metamorphose,
customize
in the sense of adjust
To attract investors the country has adjusted its tax laws.
Synonyms
change,
order,
reform,
fix,
arrange,
alter,
adapt,
revise,
modify,
set,
regulate,
amend,
reconcile,
remodel,
redress,
rectify,
recast,
customize,
make conform
Synonyms of 'modify'
modify
Explore 'modify' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of alter
Definition
to make or become different
They have never altered their programmes.
Synonyms
modify,
change,
reform,
shift,
vary,
transform,
adjust,
adapt,
revise,
amend,
diversify,
remodel,
tweak (informal),
recast,
reshape,
metamorphose,
transmute
in the sense of convert
Definition
to change or adapt
By converting the loft, they were able to have two extra bedrooms.
Synonyms
adapt,
modify,
remodel,
reorganize,
customize,
restyle
in the sense of ease
Definition
to make or become less difficult or severe
The heavy snow had eased a little.
Synonyms
reduce,
moderate,
weaken,
diminish,
decrease,
slow down,
dwindle,
lessen,
die down,
abate,
slacken,
grow less,
de-escalate
in the sense of lessen
Definition
to make or become less
Keep immunisations up to date to lessen the risk of serious illness.
Synonyms
reduce,
lower,
diminish,
decrease,
relax,
ease,
narrow,
moderate,
dial down,
weaken,
erode,
impair,
degrade,
minimize,
curtail,
lighten,
wind down,
abridge,
de-escalate
in the sense of limit
Definition
to restrict
He limited payments on the country's foreign debt.
Synonyms
restrict,
control,
check,
fix,
bound,
confine,
specify,
curb,
restrain,
ration,
hinder,
circumscribe,
hem in,
demarcate,
delimit,
put a brake on,
keep within limits,
straiten
in the sense of lower
Definition
to lessen or become less
The new measures will lower the risk.
Synonyms
lessen,
cut,
reduce,
moderate,
diminish,
slash,
decrease,
prune,
minimize,
curtail,
abate
in the sense of moderate
Definition
to make or become less extreme or violent
They are hoping that she will be persuaded to moderate her views.
Synonyms
soften,
control,
calm,
temper,
regulate,
quiet,
diminish,
decrease,
curb,
restrain,
tame,
subdue,
play down,
lessen,
repress,
mitigate,
tone down,
pacify,
modulate,
soft-pedal (informal)
in the sense of qualify
Definition
to moderate or restrict (a statement one has made)
I would qualify that by putting it into context.
Synonyms
restrict,
limit,
reduce,
vary,
ease,
moderate,
adapt,
modify,
regulate,
diminish,
temper,
soften,
restrain,
lessen,
mitigate,
abate,
tone down,
assuage,
modulate,
circumscribe
in the sense of reduce
Definition
to weaken or lessen
Consumption is being reduced by 25 per cent.
Synonyms
lessen,
cut,
contract,
lower,
depress,
moderate,
dial down,
weaken,
diminish,
turn down,
decrease,
slow down,
cut down,
shorten,
dilute,
impair,
curtail,
wind down,
abate,
tone down,
debase,
truncate,
abridge,
downsize,
downscale,
kennet (Australian, slang),
jeff (Australian, slang)
in the sense of reform
Definition
to improve (a law or institution) by correcting abuses
his plans to reform the country's economy
Synonyms
improve,
better,
correct,
restore,
repair,
rebuild,
amend,
reclaim,
mend,
renovate,
reconstruct,
remodel,
rectify,
rehabilitate,
regenerate,
reorganize,
reconstitute,
revolutionize,
ameliorate,
emend
Additional synonyms
in the sense of relax
Definition
to lessen the intensity of
He gradually relaxed his grip on the arms of the chair.
Synonyms
lessen,
reduce,
ease,
relieve,
weaken,
loosen,
let up,
slacken
in the sense of revise
Definition
to change or alter
He soon came to revise his opinion.
Synonyms
change,
review,
modify,
reconsider,
re-examine
in the sense of soften
Definition
to make or become more sympathetic and less critical
He could not think how to soften the blow of what he had to tell her.
Synonyms
lessen,
moderate,
diminish,
temper,
lower,
relax,
ease,
calm,
modify,
cushion,
soothe,
subdue,
alleviate,
lighten,
quell,
muffle,
allay,
mitigate,
abate,
tone down,
assuage
in the sense of temper
Definition
to modify so as to make less extreme or more acceptable
He had to learn to temper his enthusiasm.
Synonyms
moderate,
restrain,
tone down,
calm,
soften,
soothe,
lessen,
allay,
mitigate,
abate,
assuage,
mollify,
soft-pedal (informal),
palliate,
admix
in the sense of transform
Definition
to change completely in form or function
the speed at which your body transforms food into energy
Synonyms
change,
convert,
alter,
translate,
reconstruct,
metamorphose,
transmute,
renew,
transmogrify (humorous)
in the sense of tweak
Definition
to make a minor alteration
The system should get better as engineers tweak its performance.