Synonyms of alternate

alternate 1 of 3

verb

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

• mix
• combine
• incorporate
• juxtapose
• salt
• insert
• blend
• thread
• weave
• merge
• embody
• integrate
• intersperse
• interlace
• interweave
• intermingle
• amalgamate
• mingle
• fuse
• assimilate
• wreathe
• lace
• commingle

alternate

2 of 3

adjective

1

as in alternative

Related Words

• alternative
• optional
• chosen
• discretionary
• elective
• unnecessary
• voluntary
• unwanted
• unneeded
• dispensable

Dissimilar Words

• mandatory
• compulsory
• required
• obligatory
• necessary
• essential
• requisite
• nonvoluntary
• nonelective
• indispensable

2

as in backup

Related Words

• backup
• makeshift
• substitute
• proxy
• stopgap
• acting
• make-do
• interim
• provisional
• temporary
• jackleg
• ad interim
• provisory
• provisionary

Dissimilar Words

• permanent
• long-term

3

as in seasonal

Related Words

• seasonal
• serial
• cyclic
• rhythmic
• alternating
• periodic
• recurrent
• intermittent
• continual
• recurring
• periodical
• occasional
• on-and-off
• sporadic
• spasmodic
• spotty
• erratic
• irregular
• aperiodic
• fitful
• unsteady

Dissimilar Words

• continuous
• constant
• eternal
• incessant
• perpetual
• unceasing
• everlasting
• interminable

alternate

3 of 3

noun

as in substitute

Related Words

• substitute
• replacement
• stand-in
• backup
• sub
• relief
• fill-in
• reserve
• makeshift
• understudy
• pinch hitter
• cover
• surrogate
• stopgap
• representative
• designated hitter
• proxy
• locum tenens
• apology
• second
• rep
• factor
• assistant
• attorney
• commissary
• delegate
• assignee
• agent
• deputy
• envoy
• successor
• procurator
• reliever
• superseder

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of alternate

Verb

The process is driven by a feeding mechanism called the pterygoid walk, in which alternating jaw movements advance one side of the tooth-bearing upper jaw while the other maintains a firm grip on the prey. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Aug. 2026

Starting Friday morning, more than 180,000 customer accounts will be without water for 48 hours at a time as part of an alternating schedule while government officials scramble to find a solution. — CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026

Adjective

The alternate landings came as a cold front brought gusty winds and changes in wind direction, per CNN meteorologists. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026

Houthi separatists in Yemen used aerial drones to close off the southern end of the Red Sea in the early 2020s, blocking a key alternate route for oil shipments around the Strait of Hormuz. — Amy Myers Jaffe, The Conversation, 4 Aug. 2026

Noun

This is the 25-year-old’s third season with the team, serving as an alternate in 2024. — Ava Dicecca, Sun Sentinel, 24 July 2026

The movie partially takes place much later in the X-Men timeline, in a dystopian alternate 2023. — Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026