The invention relates to a variant of a parent Termamyl-like .alpha.-amylase, comprising mutations in two, three, four, five or six regions/positions. The variants have increased stability at high temperatures (relative to the parent). The invention also relates to a DNA construct comprising a DNA sequence encoding an .alpha.-amylase variant of the invention, a recombinant expression vector which carries a DNA construct of the invention, a cell which is transformed with a DNA construct of the invention, the use of an .alpha.-amylase variant of the invention for washing and/or dishwashing, textile desizing, starch liquefaction, a detergent additive comprising an .alpha.-amylase variant of the invention, a manual or automatic dishwashing detergent composition comprising an .alpha.-amylase variant of the invention, a method for generating a variant of a parent Termamyl-like .alpha.-amylase, which variant exhibits increased.