diff --git a/distutils/dep_util.py b/distutils/_modified.py
similarity index 100%
rename from distutils/dep_util.py
rename to distutils/_modified.py
diff --git a/distutils/bcppcompiler.py b/distutils/bcppcompiler.py
index ba45ea2b..3c2ba154 100644
--- a/distutils/bcppcompiler.py
+++ b/distutils/bcppcompiler.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 )
 from .ccompiler import CCompiler, gen_preprocess_options
 from .file_util import write_file
-from .dep_util import newer
+from ._modified import newer
 from ._log import log
 
 
diff --git a/distutils/ccompiler.py b/distutils/ccompiler.py
index 1818fce9..c1c7d547 100644
--- a/distutils/ccompiler.py
+++ b/distutils/ccompiler.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 from .spawn import spawn
 from .file_util import move_file
 from .dir_util import mkpath
-from .dep_util import newer_group
+from ._modified import newer_group
 from .util import split_quoted, execute
 from ._log import log
 
diff --git a/distutils/cmd.py b/distutils/cmd.py
index 3860c3ff..8fdcbc0e 100644
--- a/distutils/cmd.py
+++ b/distutils/cmd.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 import logging
 
 from .errors import DistutilsOptionError
-from . import util, dir_util, file_util, archive_util, dep_util
+from . import util, dir_util, file_util, archive_util, _modified
 from ._log import log
 
 
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ def make_file(
         # If 'outfile' must be regenerated (either because it doesn't
         # exist, is out-of-date, or the 'force' flag is true) then
         # perform the action that presumably regenerates it
-        if self.force or dep_util.newer_group(infiles, outfile):
+        if self.force or _modified.newer_group(infiles, outfile):
             self.execute(func, args, exec_msg, level)
         # Otherwise, print the "skip" message
         else:
diff --git a/distutils/command/build_ext.py b/distutils/command/build_ext.py
index fbeec342..b48f4626 100644
--- a/distutils/command/build_ext.py
+++ b/distutils/command/build_ext.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 )
 from ..sysconfig import customize_compiler, get_python_version
 from ..sysconfig import get_config_h_filename
-from ..dep_util import newer_group
+from .._modified import newer_group
 from ..extension import Extension
 from ..util import get_platform
 from distutils._log import log
diff --git a/distutils/command/build_scripts.py b/distutils/command/build_scripts.py
index ce222f1e..1a4d67f4 100644
--- a/distutils/command/build_scripts.py
+++ b/distutils/command/build_scripts.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 from stat import ST_MODE
 from distutils import sysconfig
 from ..core import Command
-from ..dep_util import newer
+from .._modified import newer
 from ..util import convert_path
 from distutils._log import log
 import tokenize
diff --git a/distutils/file_util.py b/distutils/file_util.py
index 7c699066..3f3e21b5 100644
--- a/distutils/file_util.py
+++ b/distutils/file_util.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ def copy_file(  # noqa: C901
     # changing it (ie. it's not already a hard/soft link to src OR
     # (not update) and (src newer than dst).
 
-    from distutils.dep_util import newer
+    from distutils._modified import newer
     from stat import ST_ATIME, ST_MTIME, ST_MODE, S_IMODE
 
     if not os.path.isfile(src):
diff --git a/distutils/tests/test_dep_util.py b/distutils/tests/test_modified.py
similarity index 96%
rename from distutils/tests/test_dep_util.py
rename to distutils/tests/test_modified.py
index 759772d2..eae7a7fa 100644
--- a/distutils/tests/test_dep_util.py
+++ b/distutils/tests/test_modified.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-"""Tests for distutils.dep_util."""
+"""Tests for distutils._modified."""
 import os
 
-from distutils.dep_util import newer, newer_pairwise, newer_group
+from distutils._modified import newer, newer_pairwise, newer_group
 from distutils.errors import DistutilsFileError
 from distutils.tests import support
 import pytest
diff --git a/distutils/unixccompiler.py b/distutils/unixccompiler.py
index 6ca2332a..bd8db9ac 100644
--- a/distutils/unixccompiler.py
+++ b/distutils/unixccompiler.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 import itertools
 
 from . import sysconfig
-from .dep_util import newer
+from ._modified import newer
 from .ccompiler import CCompiler, gen_preprocess_options, gen_lib_options
 from .errors import DistutilsExecError, CompileError, LibError, LinkError
 from ._log import log
diff --git a/distutils/util.py b/distutils/util.py
index 7ef47176..7ae914f7 100644
--- a/distutils/util.py
+++ b/distutils/util.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 import functools
 
 from .errors import DistutilsPlatformError, DistutilsByteCompileError
-from .dep_util import newer
+from ._modified import newer
 from .spawn import spawn
 from ._log import log