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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Recent Examples of mutates
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
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
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Naming one boundary or expectation changes the tone.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
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This is where Physical AI changes the equation.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Their diet varies with location and season, depending on what prey is available.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
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Because the angle of Earth‘s magnetic field varies from the poles to the equator, these minerals act as a prehistoric GPS, allowing geoscientists to pinpoint a rock’s original location on the globe and chart its journey over millions of years.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But over time, therapy often shifts.—
Ana Jarzin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
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The victory evens the best-of-seven first-round playoff series as it shifts to Anaheim for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday at Honda Center.—
Jason Hills,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The inherent value of some watches fluctuates on a daily basis because of the materials.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
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When estrogen fluctuates wildly postpartum or during perimenopause, ADHD symptoms often get dramatically worse.—
Sarah Oreck,
SELF,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mutates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mutates. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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