MUTATES Synonyms: 19 Similar and Opposite Words

mutates

verb

present tense third-person singular of mutate

as in changes

to pass from one form, state, or level to another colored lights that slowly mutate from green to blue and so on across the color spectrum

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of mutates Although flu seasons can vary in disease severity, the virus mutates so unpredictably that pandemic flu seasons – like those in 1918, 1957, 1968 and 2009 – are a recurring possibility. — Katrine L. Wallace, The Conversation, 24 June 2026 Measles mutates slowly enough that researchers can in many cases search for essentially the same strain when tracking its movements. — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026 This dynamic drives a phenomenon called antigenic shift meaning that the vaccine paradoxically encourages new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mutates

Verb

Employees are increasingly expected to use AI tools as a baseline – not a differentiator – which changes how performance is measured and managed.

— Maria Black, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Will Trump, who frequently changes his mind on issues, stay invested in NASA?

— Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of changes

Verb

Private lenders may also offer autopay discounts, although the amount varies.

— Amy DeYoung, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Chami noted that the price for working with content creators varies from $250-$1,000 per post, and justified rates that are on the higher end of the spectrum.

— Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of varies

Verb

Translation is a mutation of language, but not direct replication; something happens in the process that shifts the direction of the ideas.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
In my experience, three forces determine whether an innovation actually shifts the standard of care or just stalls after regulatory approval or clinical validation.

— Erez Meltzer, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of shifts

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mutated

mutates

mutating

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“Mutates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mutates. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of mutates

verb

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