alternately

adverb

al·​ter·​nate·​ly

US and Canadian

ˈȯl-tər-nət-lē 

 also  ˈal-;

 chiefly British  ȯl-ˈtər-

1

: by turns one after the other

His heart rate was 175, his blood pressure alternately spiking and falling.

—Stephen King

As the gravitational waves passed Earth, they would alternately compress and expand the space between two objects.

—Neil deGrasse Tyson et al.

The rest of the day I spent alternately pacing the length of the train … or looking out the windows.

—Rick Riordan

2

: as an alternative

—used to introduce a different possibility from what has been previously suggested or described

From then on, you can take out almost $10,000 a year and annuitize $160,000 after at least ten years. Alternately, you can make no withdrawals and let your guaranteed base grow by 6 percent a year.

—Kerry Pechter

The club was originally known as Fontana Bar (or, alternately, Fontana Lounge and Fontana Room) from Bellagio's opening until it shifted to Hyde in December 2011.

—John Katsilometes

You could be in for a pretty remarkable experience—or, alternately, one of the most miserable and terrifying nights of your life.

—Drew Schwartz

Examples of alternately in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Trump on Monday demanded that COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers prove that their shots have been effective, adding to his long string of comments alternately praising − and doubting the effectiveness of − the potentially life-saving medication. —Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025

The interview is alternately boring and compelling, offering a glimpse into an insular world of privilege and entitlement. —Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2025

Faced with punishment from school administrators, Westman appeared alternately nervous and nonchalant, the former employee said. —Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2025

Especially because there’s no bullpen help poking its way through an alternately promising and threatening baseball sky for the Mets. —Jerry Beach, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1