alternation

noun

al·ter·na·tion ˌȯl-tər-ˈnā-shən

also ˌal-

: the act or process of alternating or causing to alternate

: alternating occurrence : succession

: inclusive disjunction

: the occurrence of different allomorphs or allophones

Examples of alternation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The music’s gentle alternation between the voices of Rashad and Burton — whose bright and lithe-voiced soprano was a delight throughout — seemed neither in service of the gritty grace of Kennedy or Frost. —

Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2023 French politics in the past few decades has been characterized by a relatively stable alternation in power between a center-right This article is part of our premium archives. —

Carlo Invernizzi Accetti, Foreign Affairs, 6 Feb. 2017 Well, that our minds swarm with dreams and fears, sometimes in alternation, sometimes overlapping in complex textures. —

Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 22 June 2023 There’s laughter and passionate debate and easy alternation between the two. —

Peter C. Baker, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2023 Sessions differed by the alternation of these foods: No-Repetition session with M-F-C-B; Single-Repetition session with F-M-F-B-C-B; Multiple-Repetition session with M-F-M-F-M-F-C-B-C-B-C-B. Final intakes of F and B were ad libitum. —

Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 16 Apr. 2013 The relationship between your plays and your novels sometimes seems to be one of rhythm—a very deliberate, punctuated, musical alternation between speech and thought. —

Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2022 Side two of Reggatta is all about alternation. —

Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2021 And that is just the start of the significant alternations coming before the 2023 season. —

Austin Knoblauchassistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alternation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English alternacioun, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin alternātiōn-, alternātiō, from alternāre "to ebb and flow, act in alternation, arrange in alternating order" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at alternate entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of alternation was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century