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
Tim Graham, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
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
Noun
Honorees who advanced to the Super Bowl were replaced by alternates (Trubisky was Jared Goff’s alternate in 2018-19) and the exhibition no longer was held in Aloha Stadium each year.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alternates
Verb
-
Ink/Cobalt mixes dark blue and black, and Carnelian/Sky combines a light blue with bright red.—
Andrew Gebhart,
PC Magazine,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Sharon Stone mixes textures in a tassel dress at LACMA's Opening Gala for The David Geffen Galleries in Los Angeles on April 16.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Material World is a weekly roundup of innovations and ideas within the materials sector, covering what’s changing in how fashion is made, scaled or engineered from emerging biomaterials and alternative leathers to sustainable substitutes and future-proof fibers.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Almond extract brands and substitutes Recipes developed in the BA Test Kitchen rely on Nielsen-Massey Pure Almond Extract.—
Emily Saladino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Zone that the tourists enter, guided by the titular Stalker, is mysterious and beautiful, which Tarkovsky starkly juxtaposes against the dystopia of the rest of the world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Apr. 2026
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Here, the blue-and-white tile perfectly juxtaposes the bright organic palette from the floating shelves.—
Wendy Rose Gould,
Martha Stewart,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There are very few plants as colorful replacements.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Arsenal have a squad of formidable depth, but there are still areas where the gap in quality between first-choice and replacements is considerable.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This recipe combines both peaches and blueberries to create one decadent summertime treat.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
-
View gallery - 6 images With a simple switch of a magazine, the Drone Round is claimed to turn a standard NATO caliber small arm into a drone-killing weapon that combines the scattershot of a shotgun with the speed, power and rapid fire of an infantry assault rifle.—
David Szondy
April 19,
New Atlas,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Say goodbye to soggy subs thanks to the Sub Sandwich Container, which protects your sandwich on the go.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
The birthday-party snack menu at Melody Lanes in Sunset Park includes six-foot subs ($29 per foot) from Lioni’s nearby.—
The Editors,
Curbed,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
These oral tools also come with Oxyjet Technology, which incorporates tiny bubbles of air into the water stream to better remove particles and clean the teeth and gums.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The finished bridge incorporates 4,851,700 rivets, 1,016,600 steel bolts, 931,000 tons of concrete and cables made from 42,000 miles of wire, with 552‑foot‑tall main towers, 199 feet of ship clearance at midspan, a five‑mile total length and an opening price tag of $100 million.—
Andy Morrison,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alternates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alternates. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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