as in to mix
to place or do (different things) so that one follows the other in a repeated series
To make the appetizer, you should alternate layers of tomatoes and cheese. The poem alternates fear and hope.
Related Words
Relevance
1
as in alternative
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in backup
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
3
as in seasonal
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in substitute
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of alternate
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
may 13, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026
The next season, Morton and Staubach also split time — at some points, even alternating every play.
—Pat Graham, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2026
ABC News, 14 May 2026
The former couple are also required to share custody of their children during alternate weeks at their Connecticut home.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Blackwood ended up being the first alternate if any of the three picked had sustained an injury just before the tournament.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for alternate
Verb
This means alternating running for one minute, then walking for one minute, or a one-to-one ratio of equal amounts walking and running.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
may 13, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026
The next season, Morton and Staubach also split time — at some points, even alternating every play.
—Pat Graham, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2026
Adjective
Celebrini joins forces with two 35-year-old alternate captains, John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators.
—ABC News, 14 May 2026
The former couple are also required to share custody of their children during alternate weeks at their Connecticut home.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
Noun
Porter County Deputy Prosecutor Kire Pavlovski told the 13 jurors – one alternate was dismissed before arguments began over a potential conflict of interest – that the victim and defendant were hanging out with coworkers in the parking lot of Camaco after getting off the midnight shift.
—Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Blackwood ended up being the first alternate if any of the three picked had sustained an injury just before the tournament.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for alternate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alternate
Verb
-
On paper, certain design elements shouldn’t make sense, like the vine wallpaper mixed with cloth foliage fabric wall coverings, or the houndstooth wallpaper in a bathroom that’s already an alchemy of half a dozen different tile patterns.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
-
In the third, mix the cornmeal and breadcrumbs.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
For a healthy individual with a reasonable life expectancy, that 8% annual return on patience is difficult to beat with alternative strategies.—
Jason Kirsch,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
America is investing in alternative rare earth supply chains and domestic manufacturing.—
Neil Shearing,
Time,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
If conditions worsen, DPW plans to use the Susquehanna River as a backup supply, a move only used during droughts.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
-
Their quarterback situation is a question mark, with Jacoby Brissett staying away from the team in search for a new contract, Gardner Minshew brought in to be a backup and rookie Carson Beck looking to develop.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
In her most recent batch of chocolate and whisky ice cream, George used the 2012 summer batch release of Daftmill single malt from nearby Daftmill Distillery—one that specializes in rare, seasonal, single malt whisky.—
Carinne Geil Botta,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
Stretching from Choctawhatchee Bay to the Gulf of Mexico, Santa Rosa Beach offers easy public beach access points with parking, restrooms, and seasonal lifeguards.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
In the 65th minute, second-half substitute Pablo miscontrolled El Hadji Malick Diouf’s quick throw-in.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
Basic income cash transfers are not a good substitute for basic services in a social support system.—
Carrie Brandon Elliot,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The Genius Group was Goldschmied’s dream coming true, combining his deep human personality and sympathetic spirit to share ideas and projects all while supporting the young and emerging talent.—
Maria Cristina Pavarini,
Footwear News,
19 May 2026
-
Never combine vinegar with chemicals or cleaners like bleach or ammonia because the combination can create toxic fumes.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
Dinah had gone silent under the makeshift tent.—
Stephen King,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
-
About noon Larry gunned the Maule — heavily loaded with moose meat — to a heart-stopping takeoff from the makeshift strip.—
Ben East,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
With Ebola’s serial interval of two to three weeks, 246 cases at declaration implies multiple generations of uncontrolled transmission.—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
-
Spain’s Rodrigo Sorogoyen has proven himself a master of the psychological thriller, whether the serial-killer kind (May God Save Us, 2016) the political kind (The Realm, 2018) or the true-crime kind (The Beasts, 2023).—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alternate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alternate. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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