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.

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alternate

2 of 3

adjective

1
as in alternative

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in backup

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Dissimilar Words
3
as in seasonal

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Dissimilar Words

alternate

3 of 3

noun

as in substitute

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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
Contrast therapy alternates hot and cold exposure, driving vasodilation and vasoconstriction in what WHOOP calls a vascular pumping effect that increases blood flow and tissue oxygen delivery. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026 Duncan said the initial gasping fades after a round or two, and recommends alternating back and forth multiple times for best results. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Adjective
The idea that the development of the internet might have saved the USSR comes from the author of an alternate-history novel in which technologies are transported into the Soviet Union from the future. — The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 28 Oct. 2026 The central committee started its term in 2022 with more than 370 full and alternate members. — Kanis Leung, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Noun
Seeing red UConn revealed new red alternate uniforms this week that will be worn in at least one of the team’s seven home games this season. — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 27 Aug. 2026 Last year, Cleveland Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders was, statistically, one of the NFL’s worst quarterbacks over his seven starts, yet still made the Pro Bowl as the sixth alternate after several opt-outs. — Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 26 Aug. 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
  • For a while, Two Shell’s antics—like sending in decoy DJs pretending to mix—were divisive, but at least the music was exciting.
    — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The story takes place at a time when young British musicians were mixing Punjabi beats with modern, bass-heavy production.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of mix
Adjective
  • West Hollywood has become the latest city to create a domestic partnership registry for polyamorous relationships, with the city’s five-person City Council unanimously approving the legal protections for alternative family structures.
    — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Aramco is also exploring additional overseas storage capacity and alternative export routes to strengthen its global supply network.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of alternative
Adjective
  • Safety relies on plain physics rather than emergency backup generators.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Spears and Federline, her former backup dancer, married on September 18, 2004.
    — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of backup
Adjective
  • Think fresh Nordic cuisine made with seasonal ingredients in a healthy way (so, seed bread instead of sourdough, and the like).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Brian Anderson, a professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Texas A&M University, says our brains can learn to attach new, gentler feelings to the same seasonal cues, and that starts with giving yourself room to breathe.
    — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of seasonal
Noun
  • For example, a company could require a provider to demonstrate that its cybersecurity software was examined by a particular model rather than a cheaper substitute.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Haney urged jurors not to let Rinderknecht’s private messages, searches or personality substitute for proof of arson.
    — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of substitute
Verb
  • Those offseason moves, combined with the injuries, have withered the depth that had allowed Presti to be patient in trade negotiations during previous seasons, without feeling a need to make splashy midseason acquisitions.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Today, the event has evolved into the world’s largest online and physical shopping event, consistently outperforming Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of combine
Adjective
  • Most of the people arriving from Cuba at the height of the influx in 2022 and 2023 came in groups on makeshift vessels, not by smugglers.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Some injured passengers and crew members were taken to a sports hall as makeshift emergency stations were set up, Manuel Galán, the mayor ​of ​Urda near the ​city of Toledo, said, per The Guardian.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of makeshift
Adjective
  • Now state police have given them some closure and believe the suspect may have been a serial killer behind more deaths.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • As part of his closing statement the lawyer also rounded on the 2023 Channel 4 documentary that alleged Brand was a serial abuser as part of a joint investigation with The Sunday Times of London.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of serial

Browse Nearby Words

altering
alternate
alternated
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Cite this Entry

“Alternate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alternate. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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