compensate vs alter

compensate and alter both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
compensate	No	No	Yes	No
alter	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, alter is a hypernym of compensate; that is, alter is a word with a broader meaning than compensate:

Other hypernyms of compensate include change, modify.

compensate (verb)	alter (verb)
make payment to; compensate	remove the ovaries of
make amends for; pay compensation for	become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence
do or give something to somebody in return	cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
make reparations or amends for	insert words into texts, often falsifying it thereby
adjust for	make an alteration to
make up for shortcomings or a feeling of inferiority by exaggerating good qualities