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change - definition and synonyms

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verb     change pronunciation in American English
Word Forms
present tense
present participlechanging
past tensechanged
past participlechanged
  1. 1
    [intransitive/transitive] to become different, or to make someone or something different

    Some things never change.

    After a few days the weather changed dramatically.

    The law was changed in 1989.

    change little (=not very much):

    The school has changed little since it was built 30 years ago.

    change (something) from something to something:

    The town has changed from a small fishing port to a bustling tourist attraction.

    1. b.
      to become a different color
      change color:

      The leaves are already starting to change color.

      change from something to something:

      The signal changed from green to red.

  2. 2
    [intransitive/transitive] to stop doing one thing and start doing something different

    Dave said he might change jobs.

    change (something) to something:

    I changed the order to once a year instead of monthly.

  3. 3
    [transitive] to replace something with a new or different thing

    I’m sick of these curtains, let’s change them.

    Can you help me change a tire?

    1. a.
      if you change a bed or change the sheets, you put clean sheets, covers, etc. on the bed
    2. b.
      if you change a baby or change its diaper, you take off the dirty diaper and put on a clean one
    3. c.
      if you change someone who performs a service for you, you use someone else

      Have you changed your hairdresser?

    4. d.
      British to exchange something you have bought
  4. 4
    [intransitive/transitive] to take off the clothes or a piece of clothing you are wearing and put on different ones

    Wait, I’ll go and change.

    I took a bath and changed my clothes.

    change into:

    You should change into some dry socks.

    change out of:

    He went upstairs to change out of his good suit.

    get changed:

    Do I have time to get changed before we go?

  5. 5
    [intransitive/transitive] to leave one airplane, train, bus, etc. to get on another

    You’ll have to change in Chicago.

    We changed planes in Miami.

  6. 6
    [transitive] to exchange money from one country for money with the same value from another country
    change something for/into something:

    I need to change some dollars into pesos.

    1. a.
      to exchange a bill or coin of high value for bills or coins of lower value

      Can anyone change a twenty-dollar bill?

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