Sentence:  The cold settled like a tangible pall over the Mile High City , locking it in an icy grip that harshened its outlines and <WSD>altered</WSD> its physical appearance ; it had a look of grim stark realism , resembling other cities whose habitual climate was cold , instead of the sprawling bumptious open-handed greedy Western city basking in eternal sunshine at the foot of mountains stored with endless riches and resources . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  cause to change; make different; cause a transformation