alternate 1 of 3

verb

Definition of alternatenext
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

alternate

2 of 3

adjective

1
as in alternative

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in backup

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
3
as in seasonal

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

alternate

3 of 3

noun

as in substitute

Related Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of alternate
Verb
Caffeine and alcohol both have dehydrating effects, so drink alcohol in moderation and alternate every drink with water or another non-alcoholic option. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026 Caffeine and alcohol both have dehydrating effects, so drink alcohol in moderation and alternate with non-alcoholic drinks throughout the day. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026
Adjective
Henry Selick adapted Coraline by Neil Gaiman and enlisted voice performances from greats like Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, plus music by They Might Be Giants, to tell this crafty, Grimm-esque fairy tale about alternate worlds. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026 Abarca said that legislators have begun to consider alternate solutions to the three-year tax credits. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
Noun
The singer released a second studio album, Past My Past, in 2022, and made his Broadway debut that same year as the alternate for the role of Neil Diamond in A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical. — James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 2026 The Hi-Lo warning sound is a distinct tone that differs from a standard police siren and alternates between high and low frequencies. — Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for alternate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alternate
  1. mix
  2. alternative
  3. backup
  4. seasonal
  5. substitute
  6. combine
  7. makeshift
  8. serial
Verb
  • This includes nods for variety special (pre-recorded), sound mixing for a variety series or special, directing for a variety special, picture editing for variety programming, and technical direction and camerawork for a special.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • The drinks are prepared like instant coffee, can be made hot or cold, and mixed with milk or water.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 9 July 2026
Definition of mix
Adjective
  • Your confirmation bias prevents deeper consideration as well as the possibility of alternative positive outcomes.
    — Susan MacKenty Brady, Fortune, 14 July 2026
  • Kuwait, Iraq and Qatar retain heavy exposure to the waterway, while alternative pipelines cannot absorb all the crude and liquefied natural gas that would be stranded in a prolonged closure.
    — Lee Ying Shan,Sam Meredith, CNBC, 14 July 2026
Definition of alternative
Adjective
  • Wheeler, 35, has another year left on her deal, but a $625,000 cap hit for a player who would be a backup point guard on most teams is a tough sell.
    — Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
  • Alvarez, a backup dancer, and Grande dated from 2015 to 2016.
    — Debbie Day, Entertainment Weekly, 14 July 2026
Definition of backup
Adjective
  • But while most of his peers do this on remote subantarctic islands, Neil chooses to hang out with humans in the Australian island state during his seasonal visits – and wreak havoc.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • Earlier, at least 17 people were killed in the southern Philippines, mostly due to landslides that were set off by seasonal monsoon rains that Bavi intensified before the typhoon blew away toward Taiwan, Philippine officials said Saturday.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of seasonal
Noun
  • There’s also no substitute for the sense of control, purpose, and fulfillment that comes from creating and executing a vision.
    — Naveen Jain, Fortune, 9 July 2026
  • Rohmer’s great literary achievement is twofold—artistic success and worldly failure—which gave rise to his cinema of substitute gratifications, second chances, and miraculous redemptions.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 9 July 2026
Definition of substitute
Verb
  • An investigation by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners found that while the three medications were administered in non-fatal doses, Hemphill failed to acknowledge the way the drugs would act when combined, according to the warrant.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
  • Northumberland Dark Sky Park Northumberland's Dark Sky Park combines remote landscapes with some of England's darkest skies.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of combine
Adjective
  • In a victory march across the makeshift bridge, the soldiers transported 140 Carthaginian elephants from Sicily to Rome’s Circus Maximus, according to the first-century historian Pliny the Elder.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
  • One photo depicts a person curled up on a piece of cardboard, using a pillow and, as a makeshift blanket, a tarp.
    — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of makeshift
Adjective
  • Or the time a serial killer, who was actually Marlena under hypnosis, seemed to kill several beloved characters.
    — Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Although the plot of the film is fictional, the character of Leatherface was inspired by the American grave robber and serial killer Ed Gein.
    — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026
Definition of serial

Browse Nearby Words

altering
alternate
alternated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Alternate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alternate. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on alternate

Nglish: Translation of alternate for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of bibelot

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All