ALTERNATIVES Synonyms: 35 Similar and Opposite Words

alternatives

noun

plural of alternative

as in options

the power, right, or opportunity to choose there's no alternative: we must cross the stream to reach our destination

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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 alternatives But for those who understand the unique driving experience that a 911 offers, the alternatives quickly start to feel like compromises rather than upgrades. — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026 And by cutting China off, Washington gave Beijing every reason to build its own alternatives. — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 Motor Decide was created to help companies consider possible alternatives. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026 Martin Wang, a software developer who began repairing broken computers more than a decade ago, says his popular Brookline, Massachusetts, repair shop has seen an uptick in business as customers look for alternatives to buying new devices. — Aaron Parseghian, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 Yet the political alternatives that once dominated the region have lost their capacity to command popular allegiance. — Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026 Global investors who want to buy low-risk, long-term debt have attractive alternatives to the Treasury market. — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026 With a limited time to stock up on existing supplies of the material, artists are scrambling to find alternatives, but so far no one has a solution. — News Desk, Artforum, 14 Oct. 2026 That’s why restoring journalism requires public and nonprofit alternatives to combat market failures, as media scholar Victor Pickard has laid out. — Seth Ashley, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for alternatives

Noun

Passes for the 2027 edition will be available in two, three- and four-day options, with presale registration now open.

— Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026
Of course, when presented with an overwhelming number of options, most of us end up seeking comfort in dependable outfit formulas instead of taking risks.

— Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of options

Noun

Advertisement The following day, in a public conversation moderated by renowned journalist Christiane Amanpour, President Nataša Pirc Musar of Slovenia, former Irish President Mary Robinson and I reflected on the choices before humanity.

— Halla Tómasdóttir, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Those findings may help developers evaluate design choices and build stronger technical cases for future projects.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of choices

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alternatively

alternatives

alters

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“Alternatives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alternatives. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of alternatives

noun

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