mo
di
fy
Third Person
modifies
Present Participle
modifying
Past Tense
modified
Past Participle
modified
1
to make minor changes to something so that it is more suitable or better
transitive
- The tailor often modifies dresses to ensure a perfect fit.
- Engineers need to modify the design slightly to enhance the performance of the machine.
- The architect proposed to modify the building layout to improve its functionality.
- The software developer must modify the code to address a minor bug in the program.
- The teacher modified the lesson plan and saw positive results in student engagement.
2
to alter something in order to make it less extreme or intense
transitive
- The professor modified the exam requirements to make it less challenging for the students.
- The therapist suggested modifying the exercise routine to make it less strenuous for the patient.
- The government decided to modify the tax proposal to make it less burdensome on low-income households.
- The coach modified the training program to make it less intense for the injured athlete.
- The speaker modified their language to make their argument less confrontational and more diplomatic.
3
to add additional information to a word, phrase, or clause
transitive
- Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns to provide descriptive details.
- In the sentence "She speaks English fluently," the adverb "fluently" modifies the verb "speaks".
- Prepositional phrases can modify nouns or verbs by providing information about location, time, manner, or direction.
- Intensifiers, such as "very," "extremely," or "quite," modify adjectives or adverbs to indicate degree or intensity.
Synonyms:
4
to alter or change the genetic makeup of an organism through genetic engineering techniques
transitive
- Researchers have successfully modified bacteria to produce insulin for medical treatments.
- The team modified the plant’s DNA to improve its nutrient profile and shelf life.
- In the lab, they modified the mosquito genome to reduce the spread of malaria.
- Geneticists modified animal cells to study how certain diseases might be prevented.