as in mixed
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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Recent Examples of alternated
In a podcast taping with Kimmel, Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver last week, Colbert alternated between sentimental and sarcastic about the end of his show.
—
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
The competition between Morton and Staubach came to a head in 1971 after both started games and even alternated snaps at one point.
—Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2026
The Canadiens had alternated wins and losses since winning Game 1 of their first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 11 May 2026
The program alternated between stand-up sets — from comics including John Mulaney, Bill Burr, Leanne Morgan, Ron Funches, Nikki Glaser, Matt Rife and Ali Wong — and bidding on some very exclusive items, all in the name of supporting people with autism and their families.
—Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2026
This was an interesting series as the two teams alternated wins.
—David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
In the United States, NBC dominated World Series coverage from 1950 to 1976 and CBS and NBC alternated the first 18 Super Bowl telecasts.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
Police say two of the officers alternated on performing the abdominal thrusts while two other officers kept the woman upright.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Cutesy anecdotes alternated with triumphs and tragedies—a school district rescued from a ransomware gang, an iPad salvaged from a plane crash.
—Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
The competition between Morton and Staubach came to a head in 1971 after both started games and even alternated snaps at one point.
—Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2026
The Canadiens had alternated wins and losses since winning Game 1 of their first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 11 May 2026
The program alternated between stand-up sets — from comics including John Mulaney, Bill Burr, Leanne Morgan, Ron Funches, Nikki Glaser, Matt Rife and Ali Wong — and bidding on some very exclusive items, all in the name of supporting people with autism and their families.
—Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2026
This was an interesting series as the two teams alternated wins.
—David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
In the United States, NBC dominated World Series coverage from 1950 to 1976 and CBS and NBC alternated the first 18 Super Bowl telecasts.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
Police say two of the officers alternated on performing the abdominal thrusts while two other officers kept the woman upright.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Cutesy anecdotes alternated with triumphs and tragedies—a school district rescued from a ransomware gang, an iPad salvaged from a plane crash.
—Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alternated
Verb
-
This would be an entertaining video to show up on your doom scroll late at night, seeing how paint colors can be mixed and matched to present the color of your opponent, but two and a half minutes of this?—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
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The state passed legislation in 2023 and adopted a Bill of Rights for English Language Learners in 2024, but implementation has been mixed and funding is lacking.—
Mariana Navarrete Villegas,
Hartford Courant,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
With data centers the size of dozens of football fields combined sprouting up around the country, residents have protested the construction of AI infrastructure, which McKinsey projected to touch $7 trillion in capital expenditures by 2030.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
-
Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until completely combined.—
Shelly Westerhausen Worcel,
Midwest Living,
15 May 2026
Verb
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One woman, in particular, juxtaposed the avant-garde element with an auburn and black gingham blazer layered over a striped dress shirt — a style approach for the office siren by day and rave addict by night.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
14 May 2026
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While the floor-to-ceiling windows in each room provide an industrious look at Atlanta’s train systems, juxtaposed with the bright lights of the bustling Howell Mill Road corridor.—
Mike Jordan,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Recycled materials are incorporated into the design, from the roof shingles and steel to a coal-burning byproduct called fly ash that is incorporated with the building’s concrete.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
-
Whether through Halloween trunk-or-treat events, holiday toy and food drives or other outreach initiatives incorporated into the hiring process, the department has created an environment where recruitment and community engagement naturally work together.—
Joy Lepola-Stewart,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The performance will be interspersed with historical facts and anecdotes about the music.—
Ut Community Press,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 May 2026
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As in Kourliandski’s quartet, specks and splatters of sound are interspersed with silences.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alternated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alternated. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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