alterationnoun
uk/ˌɒl.təˈreɪ.ʃən/us/ˌɑːl.t̬əˈreɪ.ʃən/C1 [ C ] a change, usually a slight change, in the appearance, character, or structure of something:
Several police officers are being questioned about the alteration of the documents.
The house needed extensive alterations when we moved in.
Some alterations to our original plans might be necessary.
[ C or U ] a change or changes made to the size or shape of a piece of clothing so that it fits better:
She's getting some alterations done to her dress.
C1 [ U ] the process of changing something:
The landscape has undergone considerable alteration.
More examples
- It was a long haul , but the alterations to the house are finished at last.
- Major alterations meant that a large part of the gallery was closed for several years.
- They underestimated the cost of alterations and repairs and failed to finish the project.
- Any alterations to the original plan have to be approved by the committee.
- A network of old tunnels was discovered by workmen making alterations to a property in the old town.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Change and changes
- a change is as good as a rest idiom
- adjustment
- blip
- changeover
- crossover
- drift
- ebb
- gradation
- metamorphosis
- modulate
- paradigm shift
- perversion
- punctuated equilibrium
- rearrangement
- shake-up
- speciation
- step change
- tide
- transfigure
- twist
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