alter and change share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. alter means “cause to change; make different; cause a transformation”. change means “an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another”. change is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈɔltɚ/
1.v.cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
“The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city”
2.v.become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence
“her mood changes in accordance with the weather”
3.v.make an alteration to
“This dress needs to be altered”
/ˈtʃeɪndʒ/
1.n.an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
“the change was intended to increase sales”
2.n.a relational difference between states; especially between states before and after some event
“he attributed the change to their marriage”
3.n.the action of changing something
“the change of government had no impact on the economy”
| alter | change | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈɔltɚ/ | /ˈtʃeɪndʒ/ |
| Said | AWL-tur | chaynj |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Letters | 5 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | verb | noun, verb |
| Senses | 5 | 20 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | change, modify | alteration, modification |
Full entry for alter · Full entry for change · More comparisons