Altar vs Alter: Which One Do You Need?
An altar is a table in a place of worship. To alter is to change.
They married at the altar. Please do not alter the file.
The test that settles it
Only one is a verb. If the word is doing something, it is alter. If it is a thing, it is altar.
“We may need to ___ the plan” → an action, so alter.
“flowers on the ___” → a thing, so altar.
Altar is a thing you find in a church; alter is what an editor does.
Altar: the noun
A raised table used in religious ceremonies. Always a noun, and always concrete.
Candles burned on the altar.
They were married at the altar.
The altar dates from the fifteenth century.
Can you put the in front and point at it? Then altar.
Alter: the verb
To change something, often slightly. It also covers taking in or letting out clothes.
We had to alter the schedule.
The tailor altered the sleeves.
Nothing will alter my view.
Swap in change. If it works, alter.
Side by side
| Altar | Alter |
|---|---|
| Noun | Verb |
| A physical object | An action |
| Ends -ar | Ends -er |
| At the altar | To alter it |
Where people get it wrong
| Incorrect | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| We need to altar the design. | We need to alter the design. | A verb. |
| She stood at the alter. | She stood at the altar. | The object in the church. |
| unaltared | unaltered | Built on the verb. |
| alter boy | altar boy | He assists at the altar. |
Practice — choose the right word, then check yourself.
- The dress will need to be ___.
- Flowers were placed on the ___.
- Nothing can ___ what happened.
- He served as an ___ boy.
- The terms remain ___.
Show the answers
1. altered 2. altar 3. alter 4. altar 5. unaltered
Frequently asked
Is “left at the altar” the right spelling?
Yes — the phrase is about the wedding table, so it takes the -ar noun.
What is an alter ego?
Latin for “other self”, and it uses the verb spelling. It means a second side of someone’s personality.
More words people confuse
