change order

noun

plural change orders
: a written alteration to a previously signed contract for work (as in construction)
The Alpharetta City Council has approved a $2.9 million change order for the Rucker Road Corridor improvement project, reflecting Roswell's share of the project cost.—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
also : the new work specified by the change order
Change orders on the first two phases of Red Line construction have exceeded $230 million. —Mike Davis

Examples of change order in a Sentence

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.
The arrangement was aimed at minimizing the number and cost of change orders, which are the bane of construction projects. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 The office's own work plan called for reviewing the rail authority's change-order process by July 2026 — including a $500 million-plus construction change order settlement. — Julie Watts, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026 The company said by reducing reliance on manual data entry and complex custom integrations, Arena Connect keeps critical cross-functional workflows, such as engineering change orders and quality management, automatically synchronized in real time. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 11 Aug. 2026 The council also authorized the city manager to approve change orders of up to 10% of the contract. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for change order

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of change order was in 1906

Rhymes for change order

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Browse Nearby Words

change one's ways
change order
changeover
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Cite this Entry

“Change order.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/change%20order. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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