Meaning of change in English

change

verb

/tʃeɪndʒ/ us

/tʃeɪndʒ/

change verb (BECOME DIFFERENT)

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A1 [ T ]

to exchange one thing for another thing, especially of a similar type:

change jobs She's just changed jobs.

change the subject Let's change the subject (= talk about something different).

A2 [ I or T ]

to make or become different:

I almost didn't recognize her - she'd changed so much.

That was 20 years ago and things have changed since then.

Nothing changes, does it - I've been away two years and the office still looks exactly the same.

People have changed their diets a lot over the past few years.

I'm going to change my hairstyle.

Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples

to make different

changeShe'll always be like that - you can't change her.
alterWe've had to alter our plans.
varyTry to vary the children's diet a little.
convertWe're going to convert the spare bedroom into an office.
turn intoThere are plans to turn his latest book into a film.
transformThe riverside area has been transformed into a shopping and sports complex.

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B1 [ I or T ] UK

(US exchange)

to take something you have bought back to a shop and exchange it for something else:

change something for something I had to change those trousers I bought for (= take them back to the shop in order to get) a bigger pair.

change your mind

to form a new opinion or make a new decision about something that is different from your old one:

If you change your mind about coming tonight, just give me a call.

change for the better

to improve:

Her attitude has definitely changed for the better since she started this new job.

change your ways

to improve the bad parts of your behaviour:

If he wants to carry on living here, he's going to have to change his ways and learn to be a bit less messy.

More examplesFewer examples

He said that he hadn't seen the traffic light change to red.
They all tried to persuade him to change his decision.
We don't expect the economic situation to change anytime soon.
It sounds to me like you ought to change jobs.
The weather in the hills can change very quickly, so take suitable clothing.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Changing

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change verb (TRANSPORT)

A2 [ I or T ]

to get off a train, bus, etc. and catch another in order to continue a journey:

I had to change (trains) twice to get there.

Change at Peterborough for York.

More examplesFewer examples

This train will terminate at the next stop - passengers who wish to continue should change trains.
You should stay on the train until Manchester and then change.
The only thing I'm worried about is changing trains at Kings Cross.
You'll have to change buses when you get into Victoria, but your next bus doesn't leave for half an hour.
It's an awkward trip - you have to change several times.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Travelling

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change verb (MONEY)

A2 [ T ]

to get or give money in exchange for money, either because you want it in smaller units, or because you want the same value in foreign money:

change something for something Could you change a £10 note for two fives, please?

Could you change a £5 note for me?

I need to change my dollars into English money.

More examplesFewer examples

Can you change a tenner for two fivers?
You can't pay in English money. You'll have to change some money at the bank.
I need to change some of these travellers cheques.
Will they change money at the hotel?
He kindly changed my foreign currency for me.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Banks

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change verb (CLOTHES/BEDS)

A2 [ I or T ]

to remove one set of clothes and put a different set on yourself or a young child, especially a baby, or to remove dirty sheets from a bed and put clean ones on it:

You don't need to change - you look great as you are.

change into I'll just change into (= get dressed in) something a bit smarter.

change out of Give me five minutes to change out of (= remove) my work clothes and I'll come out with you.

How often do you think he changes his shirt?

change the baby Could you change the baby (= the baby's nappy)?

change the sheets I've changed the sheets (= the sheets on the bed) in the guest room.

More examplesFewer examples

You are going to change, aren't you? You can't go in those tatty old jeans.
When did you last change the linen on the children's beds?
I hadn't even changed when our first guests arrived, so Jeff had to cope on his own.
I usually insist that he changes out of his work clothes before dinner.
Can you make sure your brother doesn't walk in when I'm changing?

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Putting clothes on

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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Removing and getting rid of things

change verb (WIND/SEA)

[ I ]

When the wind or the tide (= the rise and fall of the sea) changes, it starts to move in a different direction:

The tide is starting to change.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Floods, tides & currents

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change verb (SPEED)

[ I or T ]

(US usually shift)

to put a vehicle into a different gear, usually in order to change the speed at which it is moving:

change gear to change gear

I changed into fourth (gear).

UK Change down to go round the corner.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

On the road: driving & operating road vehicles

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Idioms

change (your) tack
change your tune
change hands

Phrasal verbs

change something around
change over
change (something) up

change

noun

/tʃeɪndʒ/ us

/tʃeɪndʒ/

change noun (BECOMING DIFFERENT)

A2 [ C or U ]

the act of becoming different, or the result of something becoming different:

change in Let me know if there's any change in the situation.

We're living in a time of great change.

change of We need a change of government.

a change in lifestyle

make a change They've made a lot of changes to the house.

The new management will make fundamental changes (= do things in a very different way).

Synonyms

                alteration
amendment
modification (CHANGE)
mutation

B1 [ S ]

something that is pleasant or interesting because it is unusual or new:

for a change It's nice to see her smile for a change.

make a change "Shall we we eat in the garden?" "Why not - it'll make a change."

have a change We've always had a red car - it's time we had a change!

change of scene

a new situation:

She'd been with the same company for too many years and felt she needed a change of scene, so she applied for a job as a stage manager.

More examplesFewer examples

The minister has announced that there will be no change in government policy.
The holiday was a welcome change.
A lot of people were caught out by the sudden change in the weather.
You're not planning a change of career, are you?
The country is crying out for a change in leadership.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Change and changes

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change noun (MONEY)

A2 [ U ]

money in the form of coins rather than notes:

in change She gave me €5 in change.

loose change My dad always used to carry a lot of loose change (= coins) in his pocket.

small change My dad always used to carry a lot of small change (= coins) in his pocket.

Tuomas Lehtinen/ Moment/GettyImages

[ U ]

smaller units of money given in exchange for larger units of the same amount:

Do you have change for a 20-dollar bill?

A2 [ U ]

the money that is returned to someone who has paid for something that costs less than the amount that they gave:

I think you've given me the wrong change.

More examplesFewer examples

Here's your change, darling.
She delved into her pocket to find some change.
He fumbled in his pockets for some change.
He carefully pocketed his change.
"Have you got any change?" "Sorry, I've only got a five-pound note."

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Payment methods

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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Amounts of money

change noun (CLOTHES)

[ C ]

the action of putting on different clothes:

She did a quick change before going on TV.

a change of clothes

a set of clothes as well as the ones that you are wearing:

You'll need a change of clothes if you're staying overnight.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Putting clothes on

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change noun (TRANSPORT)

[ C ]

the action of getting off a train, bus, etc. and catching another in order to continue a journey:

I hate journeys where you've got a lot of changes.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Travelling

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change noun (BASEBALL)

[ C ] US informal

another name for a changeup :

He mixes his fastball in with a change and a slider.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Baseball & rounders

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Idioms

the change (of life)
a change is as good as a rest
change of heart

(Definition of change from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

change | American Dictionary

change

verb

/tʃeɪndʒ/

change verb (BECOME DIFFERENT)

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[ I/T ]

to make or become different, or to do, use, or get one thing in place of another thing:

[ T ] I’ve changed jobs twice in the past ten years.

[ T ] I changed my hairstyle – do you like it?

[ I ] Attitudes about lots of things changed during the 1960s.

[ I ] It’s surprising how fast kids change during their teen years.

[ I/T ]

To change over from one thing to something else is to stop doing or using one thing and to start doing or using another:

[ I ] We just changed from oil heat to gas.

change verb (CLOTHES/BEDS)

[ I/T ]

to remove one set of clothes and put a different set on yourself or someone else, such as a baby, or to remove dirty sheets from a bed and put clean ones on it:

[ I ] I’ll just change into (= put on) something a little dressier.

[ T ] Could you change the baby/the baby’s diaper (= put on a clean one)?

[ T ] I changed the sheets/the bed (= the sheets on the bed) in the guest room.

change verb (MONEY)

[ T ]

to get or give money in exchange for money, either because you want it in smaller units, or because you want the same value in foreign money:

Can you change a $100 bill for me?

I had to change some American money into pesetas before I arrived in Spain.

change verb (TRANSPORT)

[ I/T ]

to get off an aircraft, train, bus, etc. and catch another in order to continue a trip:

[ T ] I had to change planes twice to get there.

[ I ] Change at Hartford for the train to Springfield.

Idioms

change hands

change your mind

change

noun

/tʃeɪndʒ/

change noun (BECOMING DIFFERENT)

a change

A change often refers to something unusual or new that is better or more pleasant than what existed before:

We decided we needed a change, so we went to Florida for a couple of weeks.

Why don’t we eat on the porch for a change?

change noun (MONEY)

[ U ]

the difference in money, returned to the buyer, between what is paid for something and the lesser amount that it costs:

It costs $17 and you gave me $20, so here’s your $3 change.

[ U ]

Change also refers to smaller units of money whose total value is equal to that of a larger unit:

I need change for a $50 bill because I want to take a taxi.

Do you have change for/of a dollar?

[ U ]

Change can refer to coins rather than bills:

Bring a lot of change for using the public telephones.

change noun (CLOTHES/BEDS)

[ C ]

a set of clothes that is additional to the clothes that you are wearing:

Bring a change of clothes with you in case we stay overnight.

(Definition of change from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

change | Business English

change

verb

/tʃeɪndʒ/ us

Add to word list Add to word list

[ I or T ]

to become or make something different, or to exchange something for something else:

The company has changed considerably since I joined in 2005.

She decided that it was time to change jobs.

[ T ] MONEY

to exchange an amount of money for the same value in another currency:

If you're unable to change money before you travel, most international airports will have a bureau de change.

change sth into sth Here you'll find the best exchange rate for changing your US dollars into euros.

[ T ] MONEY

to exchange a unit of money for coins or smaller units of paper money that add up to the same value:

Could you change this twenty dollar bill for a ten and two fives?

Many superstores have change machines where you can change your coins into banknotes.

[ T ] COMMERCE UK

to return something you bought to a store and exchange it for something new, for example because it was damaged or the wrong size. A store changes an item when it agrees to give a customer a new item in exchange for one that is damaged, etc.:

Some places won't let you change items without a receipt.

The store offered to change the faulty items or refund my money.

change hands

to pass from one owner to another:

More than 30 million shares changed hands in the first hour of business.

change

noun

/tʃeɪndʒ/ us

[ C or U ]

the process or result of making something different or becoming different:

change to sth After making changes to its business model, the company's net profits increased by 22%.

change in sth Owing to a change in policy, customers will now be charged a fee for early withdrawals.

implement/make a change The new head of department is certain to make some changes.

manage change One of the hardest aspects of being a top manager is managing change.

a fundamental/major/significant change

Please notify us of any change of address.

[ U ] MONEY

coins used as money:

Do you have any change for the parking meter?

[ U ] MONEY

smaller units of money or coins given in exchange for a larger unit of money that is worth the same amount:

Can you make change for a 100 dollar bill?

[ U ] MONEY

the money that is returned to you after you have paid for something that costs less than the amount you gave:

I think the waiter gave me the wrong change.

Examples of change

change

In each experimental session, there was just one color change to the sky or sphere and just one test-surface color.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

You should say them all in the prescribed manner; do not change a thing.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The focus of the debate changed as well.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Ideas can "become true" if the world changes.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Co-ordination of head and eyes in the gaze changing behavior of cats.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

We induced a change in direction selectivity in one of ten cells.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Dark- and light-induced changes in coupling between horizontal cells in mammalian retina.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

But she also knows that when she is old her mind will have changed.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Disaggregation of household results by sources of income and expenditure patterns permits a fairly detailed analysis of likely changes in poverty.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The screening system permitted a population approach for quantification of changes in seed population thermal behaviour in relation to dormancy loss.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

This is evident in changes of the nomenclature of family planning board to family welfare organization.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

In contrast, the nonspatial characteristics of the target (such as its weight or function) are almost completely unlikely to change after the movement is planned.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

When children attend to the input and repeatedly attempt to parse it, their performance undergoes a qualitative change.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The upshot of this is that adaptation to nonstationarity does not require qualitative changes in a learning algorithm.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Initial analysis of the data from the interviews and tapes of the novices also indicated qualitative changes in the nature of expertise as it developed.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

Collocations with change

change

These are words often used in combination with change.

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abrupt change

The theoretical curves follow closely the dashed and dash-dotted numerical curves, and the abrupt change in tangent angle appears to fit almost exactly.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

accelerating change

But, when we speak of helping young people to settle down in employment, we must recognise that they are facing a turbulent world of extraordinary and accelerating change.

From the

Hansard archive

Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0

adaptive change

The perception-action coupling is the result of an adaptive change of our central nervous system to environmental properties.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

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What is the pronunciation of change?