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
Andy Naylor, New York Times, 12 June 2026
If a match is still tied after 30 minutes of extra time, the game will be decided in a best-of-five penalty shootout, with each team taking alternating shots from the penalty mark.
—Kierra Frazier, CBS News, 11 June 2026
Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026
Hoffman opened up about the alternate reality episode.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 13 June 2026
Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026
The fire has forced to shut down Card Sound Road for several hours on both Monday and Tuesday due to the fire and smoky conditions in the area, forcing drivers to take US-1 as an alternate to and from the Florida Keys.
—Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for alternate
Verb
Former head coach Roberto De Zerbi alternated between Verbruggen and Steele when Brighton reached the last 16 of the Europa League in 2023-24.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 12 June 2026
If a match is still tied after 30 minutes of extra time, the game will be decided in a best-of-five penalty shootout, with each team taking alternating shots from the penalty mark.
—Kierra Frazier, CBS News, 11 June 2026
Adjective
Their pairing begs the question of whether misery and mirth alternate, blend, or coexist.
—Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026
Hoffman opened up about the alternate reality episode.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 13 June 2026
Noun
An Olympic alternate and World team champion with Team USA, Roberson was considered a top recruit by more than a dozen collegiate programs.
—Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026
The fire has forced to shut down Card Sound Road for several hours on both Monday and Tuesday due to the fire and smoky conditions in the area, forcing drivers to take US-1 as an alternate to and from the Florida Keys.
—Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for alternate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alternate
Verb
-
Drug dealers mix fentanyl, because of its potency and low cost, with other drugs including heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, which increases the likelihood of a fatal dose, according to the DEA.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
-
The Vikings mixed him in with some of the second-team defenders during minicamp.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Business executives have already poured millions of dollars into groups that oppose the billionaire tax or are promoting alternative solutions to wealth inequality.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
-
Residents should clear dead or dying vegetation around their homes, landscape with fire-resistant plants and nonflammable ground cover, and find alternative ways to dispose of landscape debris, according to Cal Fire’s Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit.—
Haley Parsley,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Turns out, the five astronauts sitting in the room that day were to become the primary and backup crew for Artemis 3.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
12 June 2026
-
At tight end, Evans, Feleipe Franks and James Mitchell continued to get plenty of looks from the backup QBs.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
The restaurant, which has held its Michelin star for more than 20 years—no small feat in the finicky world of fine dining—continues to draw diners with seasonal course menus, shaped by local suppliers and produce from the estate gardens, as well as its service and sense of occasion.—
Lindsay Cohn,
Travel + Leisure,
13 June 2026
-
Brown is just not a seasonal spring or summer color.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Veteran substitute Arnautovic appeared to have restored Austria’s lead in the 67th minute from a goalmouth scramble, but that was ruled out as Stefan Posch handled in the area.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
In 2023, Manchester United was losing by a goal to Brentford when McTominay was sent on as an attacking-midfield substitute, and scored both a late equalizer and a winner in the final minutes.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Tandoori Pizza is best known for combining classic Indian dishes, like tandoori chicken, malai paneer, curry chicken and chicken tikka and serving it on a pizza crust, the website showed.—
Emma Hall,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
-
India is the primary engine of that growth, adding 366 million SVOD subscriptions across the decade – more than the rest of APAC ex-China combined – with the JioHotstar bundle driving a step-change in 2025.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Outside of their sheltered practice area, kids played on a carousel and ran around playing makeshift games of tag.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
-
Today’s options are available in a range of finishes, silhouettes, and configurations for a dedicated office or makeshift workspace.—
Vy Yang,
Architectural Digest,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
By 2007, the former England captain was a global icon and serial winner.—
Terry Baddoo,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
-
The Valve founder is a serial superyacht owner (Leviathan, Rocinante, Draak—all his) that recently bought out Dutch yard Oceanco.—
Dea Jusufi,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alternate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alternate. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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