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

Three women therein alternately tolerate and turn on each other. —Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 22 May 2025

Where Mraz and his brassy Super Band were polished, note-perfect and exuded an infectiously upbeat vibe, 4 Non Blondes’ uneven 13-song set was alternately rousing and rough-and-tumble. —George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2025

Throughout Étoile, Cheyenne is alternately repulsive and mesmerizing, her savage attitude starkly contrasted by the polish of her performances. —Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 13 May 2025

The talks will be conducted alternately in China and the U.S., or a third country upon agreement, noted the statement. —Denni Hu, Footwear News, 12 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1