alternates 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of alternate
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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alternates

2 of 2

noun

plural of alternate

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 alternates
Verb
Under the current agreement, Maceo splits his time between both parents during the week and alternates weekends with exceptions for certain holidays. — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Gathering 5,700 members from more than 50 countries across Europe, the European Film Academy oversees the annual European Film Awards, which alternates taking place in its home city of Berlin and another European city, which is Athens this year. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026 The sins of the father are ultimately presented in a literal, stomach-churning slideshow that haphazardly alternates benign family snaps with gleeful photographic evidence of Johan’s war crimes. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026 As the train emerges from the tunnel, pitch darkness alternates with sudden bursts of sunlight through openings in the bedrock. — Ben Corn, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Sep. 2026 The drink-swap strategy, which alternates alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, is being fueled by declining alcohol consumption in younger generations. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 24 Aug. 2026 To achieve this, the locus coeruleus continuously alternates between tonic activity—governing baseline arousal and alertness—and brief phasic bursts that focus attention on critical events. — Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 Kate Middleton is rumored to wear the brand’s Orange Blossom Cologne, while Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, reportedly alternates between the scents Wood Sage and Sea Salt and Wild Bluebell. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 3 Aug. 2026 The Panthers have more than enough leadership to go around in their dressing room beyond captain Aleksander Barkov and alternates Matthew Tkachuk and Aaron Ekblad. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026
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
  • The result is Ba’s Book, which mixes vérité documentary, re-enactments by family members in Vietnam and actors, as well as travelog into a heartfelt family film.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • As levels drop, the body becomes less efficient at cooling itself, triggering more frequent hot flashes and sweating that mixes with skin bacteria to produce stronger or unfamiliar smells.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Diet drinks containing sugar substitutes were found to be as effective as water for supporting weight loss in overweight or obese adults, according to a two-year randomized trial.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Finn Azaz, whose mother has Israeli heritage, was among the Irish substitutes after playing from the start against Austria on Thursday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Tokyo’s hospitality scene is as diverse as the city itself, a place of dizzying contrasts where ancient temples sit in the shadow of gleaming skyscrapers, and traditional craftsmanship juxtaposes cutting-edge technology.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The result juxtaposes the newest big names in culture with what looks like a century-old theatrical stage.
    — Juwayriah Wright, Time, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Their replacements, which include Ross Douthat and contributors like Ariel Levy and Sebastian Junger, have top-shelf backgrounds, but also little experience working on a weekly TV program that emphsizes long-form enterprise journalism.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The vehicles will serve as one-for-one replacements for conventional trucks.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • For Le Bon Marché, the auction will offer a way to bring a specialist collecting market into a department store, creating an event that combines an exhibition, shopping and a live experience.
    — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Her work combines music, illustration, animation and fashion.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • And YouTube has 250 kids channels with over 10 million subs and a 300,000 hour total across videos, shorts and livestream of which 80% are pre-school channels.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Boosted by Heated Rivalry, Crave recorded just over 5 million subs in Bell’s most recent results, and is eyeing 6 million by end of 2028, but Cohan is thinking beyond that.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Dinner incorporates international influences and local seafood.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Comedy Playground’s curriculum incorporates stand-up, led by Spies, which helps kids find their own voice, and improv, led by Katey Mushlin, which teaches them how to work with others and create meaningful bonds, Spies explained.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Alternates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alternates. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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