as in mixes
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 alternates
Marah Eakin, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2026
Among the services offered there is contrast therapy, which alternates heat and cold to promote circulation, reduce inflammation and help with muscle soreness.
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 2 Jan. 2026
Another mistake is planting hostas in heavy, clay soil that alternates between soggy and rock hard.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025
According to the researchers, the technology alternates silver ions and trithioisocyanuric acid (TCA) layers on an electrode substrate.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
As much as the action, which is tightly cut and usually alternates confidently between characters frantically on-the-move and other characters huddled in claustrophobic spaces, the storylines are held together by the performances.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025
The home team then alternates on the last three potential duels.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
The project alternates between details of everyday life—imbued with a surreal, universal quality—and delicate, melancholic landscapes alongside portraits of figures suspended in time, inhabiting their own oneiric world.
—Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025
From there, Denver alternates between home and away for the first week.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Aug. 2025
Verb
And in our car, whoever is in the front seat gets to play the music, and that alternates day-to-day.
—Marah Eakin, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2026
Among the services offered there is contrast therapy, which alternates heat and cold to promote circulation, reduce inflammation and help with muscle soreness.
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 2 Jan. 2026
Another mistake is planting hostas in heavy, clay soil that alternates between soggy and rock hard.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025
According to the researchers, the technology alternates silver ions and trithioisocyanuric acid (TCA) layers on an electrode substrate.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
As much as the action, which is tightly cut and usually alternates confidently between characters frantically on-the-move and other characters huddled in claustrophobic spaces, the storylines are held together by the performances.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025
The home team then alternates on the last three potential duels.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
The project alternates between details of everyday life—imbued with a surreal, universal quality—and delicate, melancholic landscapes alongside portraits of figures suspended in time, inhabiting their own oneiric world.
—Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025
From there, Denver alternates between home and away for the first week.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alternates
Verb
-
The experimental romantic comedy mixes sensual 16mm shots with intimate dialogue.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Jan. 2026
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Chef Carter mixes regional influences with local produce and global touches to develop an unforgettable culinary experience in the Lowcountry.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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As Chelsea’s staff and substitutes spilled onto the pitch to shake hands and celebrate their 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, Cole Palmer seemed distracted — turning around, clearly looking for something.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
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If not, the market would be expanded to include nearby substitutes, with the test repeated until a profitable price hike is achieved.—
Hal Singer,
Fortune,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For instance, at one point, Ratner juxtaposes footage of workers removing the Biden family's personal effects from the White House on Inauguration Day with Melania putting her hat on.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Artist Hyunhee Kim, whose reimagining of traditional Korean furniture juxtaposes ornate structure and space, contributed multiple creative accents to the Ferrari 12Cilindri Tailor Made.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Boeing has been working on replacements, but the program has faced a series of delays.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Jan. 2026
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As CinemaCon was getting underway in the spring, Bloomberg ran an audacious piece that Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav was interviewing the duo’s replacements.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The sensor combines ultrathin ruthenium dioxide nanosheets with a tin dioxide thin film, forming a hybrid structure that achieves ultra-sensitive detection down to parts-per-billion concentrations.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
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The most effective approach combines resistance training, smart exercise selection and gradual progression of weight or number of reps over time.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Inside my briefcase was a fat folder that contained all my material takeoffs, the bids from subs, and a dot-matrix printout of a basic spreadsheet showing all of the costs, along with the total cost.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Feb. 2026
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There is a limit of one deal per order and certain subs don’t qualify for the discount—like the Festive subs, 5 Meat Italian and Big Hot Pastrami.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The structure incorporates high-resolution exterior cameras designed to showcase panoramic views of the Dolomites and nearby Olympic venues, including the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre and the new Cortina Sliding Centre.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
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Scientists have built a new a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery anode that incorporates iron oxide, the main component of rust, into microscopic, porous hollow carbon structures, and can improve battery performance.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alternates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alternates. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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