The difference between Alter and Change

When used as nouns, alter means one of the identities or personalities of a person with multiple personality disorder / dissociative identity disorder, whereas change means the process of becoming different.

When used as verbs, alter means to change the form or structure of, whereas change means to become something different.


check bellow for the other definitions of Alter and Change

  1. Alter as a verb (transitive):

    To change the form or structure of.

  2. Alter as a verb (intransitive):

    To become different.

  3. Alter as a verb (transitive):

    To tailor clothes to make them fit.

  4. Alter as a verb (transitive):

    To castrate, neuter or spay (a dog or other animal).

  5. Alter as a verb (transitive):

    To affect mentally, as by psychotropic drugs or illness.

  1. Alter as a noun (especially, in the plural):

    One of the identities or personalities of a person with multiple personality disorder / dissociative identity disorder.

  1. Change as a verb (intransitive):

    To become something different.

    Examples:

    "The tadpole changed into a frog. Stock prices are constantly changing."

  2. Change as a verb (transitive, ergative):

    To make something into something else.

    Examples:

    "The fairy changed the frog into a prince. I had to change the wording of the ad so it would fit."

  3. Change as a verb (transitive):

    To replace.

    Examples:

    "Ask the janitor to come and change the lightbulb. After a brisk walk, I washed up and changed my shirt."

  4. Change as a verb (intransitive):

    To replace one's clothing.

    Examples:

    "You can't go into the dressing room while she's changing. The clowns changed into their costumes before the circus started."

  5. Change as a verb (transitive):

    To replace the clothing of (the one wearing it).

    Examples:

    "It's your turn to change the baby."

  6. Change as a verb (intransitive):

    To transfer to another vehicle (train, bus, etc.)

  7. Change as a verb (archaic):

    To exchange.

  8. Change as a verb (transitive):

    To change hand while riding (a horse).

    Examples:

    "to change a horse"

  1. Change as a noun (countable):

    The process of becoming different.

    Examples:

    "The product is undergoing a change in order to improve it."

  2. Change as a noun (uncountable):

    Small denominations of money given in exchange for a larger denomination.

    Examples:

    "Can I get change for this $100 bill please?"

  3. Change as a noun (countable):

    A replacement, e.g. a change of clothes

  4. Change as a noun (uncountable):

    Money given back when a customer hands over more than the exact price of an item.

    Examples:

    "A customer who pays with a 10-pound note for a £9 item receives one pound in change."

  5. Change as a noun (uncountable):

    Coins (as opposed to paper money).

    Examples:

    "Do you have any change on you? I need to make a phone call."

  6. Change as a noun (countable):

    A transfer between vehicles.

    Examples:

    "The train journey from Bristol to Nottingham includes a change at Birmingham."

  7. Change as a noun (baseball):

    A change-up pitch.

  8. Change as a noun (campanology):

    Any order in which a number of bells are struck, other than that of the diatonic scale.

  9. Change as a noun (dated):

    A place where merchants and others meet to transact business; an exchange.

  10. Change as a noun (Scotland, dated):

    A public house; an alehouse.

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