as in alternately
in place of another option
We could go out for dinner or, alternatively, we could get takeout.
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Recent Examples of alternatively
Companies of this nature can leverage their cash to drive further revenue growth or, alternatively, return funds to their shareholders via dividends or share buybacks.
—
Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Things like inflation, central bank interest rate changes, and currency fluctuations all affect whether people see Bitcoin as a risky asset to buy when the economy is good or, alternatively, a safe haven when things are unstable.
—K.h. Koehler, jsonline.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Attendees from the Peninsula and San Francisco can alternatively take Caltrain to the Diridon Station, then transfer to the VTA’s Green Line N in the direction of the convention center.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2026
And Anna Sargent proves a wonderfully unguarded and able performer, proving alternatively funny and deeply sensitive.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
Hsu and Staton rejected that argument, pointing to media coverage that showed both sides alternatively framing the initiative as a way for Democrats to take control of the House, or for Republicans to maintain their slim congressional majority.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Doing so — or, alternatively, proving that the equations never blow up — would come with a $1 million reward.
—Quanta Magazine, 9 Jan. 2026
The entire layout circled the exhibit room to which spectators were admitted, a certain number at a time, or alternatively, could sit in chairs in the center of the room and swivel their heads.
—Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Dec. 2025
Make a reservation for dinner to indulge in escargot, caviar, and rack of lamb; alternatively, go for brunch to enjoy an extravagant three-course menu featuring French toast à la crème brulée and lobster eggs Benedict.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 26 Dec. 2025
Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Things like inflation, central bank interest rate changes, and currency fluctuations all affect whether people see Bitcoin as a risky asset to buy when the economy is good or, alternatively, a safe haven when things are unstable.
—K.h. Koehler, jsonline.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Attendees from the Peninsula and San Francisco can alternatively take Caltrain to the Diridon Station, then transfer to the VTA’s Green Line N in the direction of the convention center.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2026
And Anna Sargent proves a wonderfully unguarded and able performer, proving alternatively funny and deeply sensitive.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
Hsu and Staton rejected that argument, pointing to media coverage that showed both sides alternatively framing the initiative as a way for Democrats to take control of the House, or for Republicans to maintain their slim congressional majority.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Doing so — or, alternatively, proving that the equations never blow up — would come with a $1 million reward.
—Quanta Magazine, 9 Jan. 2026
The entire layout circled the exhibit room to which spectators were admitted, a certain number at a time, or alternatively, could sit in chairs in the center of the room and swivel their heads.
—Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Dec. 2025
Make a reservation for dinner to indulge in escargot, caviar, and rack of lamb; alternatively, go for brunch to enjoy an extravagant three-course menu featuring French toast à la crème brulée and lobster eggs Benedict.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 26 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alternatively
alternately
Adverb
-
The couple who followed them—two shirtless men, around the same height, alternately lifting each other up and rolling over each other with playful, affectionate aggression—struck me as equally political, suggesting not just what was banned but what was possible.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The skirts were done alternately in heavy wool crêpe or covered in sequins, with the material informing how they were made, a key element of the designer’s approach.—
Alex Wynne,
Footwear News,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alternatively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alternatively. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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