mutate

verb

mutated; mutating

transitive verb

: to cause to undergo mutation
mutative adjective

Examples of mutate in a Sentence

a disease that mutates genes in humans a group of mutated genes Over time, her feelings mutated from hatred into love. opera singers mutating into pop stars
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
For example, a leading goal of the response now is to bring down egg prices, rather than tackling the spread of the virus or preparing for a worst-case scenario in which the virus mutates and spreads easily from person to person. Brenda Goodman, CNN, 17 Mar. 2025 When the virus strikes down a cinema filled with moviegoers, Daniels and Keough realize the virus has mutated and become airborne. Ars Technica, 14 Mar. 2025 The virus's second jump to cows raises concerns about its potential to mutate and its growing impact on animal and public health, as well as the economy, particularly amid an egg shortage. Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025 Gradually, the music mutates into something more alien: off-key chiming of a clock, percussive piano clanking and plucking, atonal saxophone solos that sound as if an instrument is being dropped. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mutate

Word History

Etymology

Latin mutatus, past participle of mutare

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of mutate was in 1818

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mutate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mutate. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

mutate

verb
mu·​tate ˈmyü-ˌtāt How to pronounce mutate (audio)
mutated; mutating
: to undergo or cause to undergo mutation

Medical Definition

mutate

verb
mutated; mutating

transitive verb

: to cause to undergo mutation
mutative adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on mutate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!