Learn English – Hypernym for “increase” and “decrease”

hypernymssingle-word-requestsverbs

Is there a word in English which would encompass both the action of increasing or decreasing [the value of] something?

I am looking at a word similar to modify, change or alter. But the first two do not denote the fact that the current value would be slightly changed and I feel the the last one is a bit general.

Best Answer

One such word (and one commonly used by scientists) is vary.

Like increase and decrease, it is not explicit whether vary is an action performed on the variable, or something that the variable "just does".

You should vary the input voltage and observe the result.

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