Synonyms of substitutes

substitutes 1 of 2

noun

plural of substitute

as in replacements

a person or thing that takes the place of another

you'll be getting a substitute until your regular teacher is feeling better

if you like, you can use nuts as a substitute for coconut in that recipe

Synonyms & Similar Words

• replacements
• backups
• surrogates
• assistants
• subs
• reserves
• proxies
• covers
• stand-ins
• reliefs
• alternates
• fill-ins
• pinch hitters
• deputies
• designated hitters
• delegates
• locum tenentes
• agents
• makeshifts
• apologies
• seconds
• factors
• representatives
• understudies
• successors
• assignees
• commissaries
• attorneys
• reps
• relievers
• stopgaps
• envoys
• procurators
• superseders

substitutes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of substitute

1

as in swaps

to give up (something) and take something else in return

can I substitute coleslaw for potato salad if I order the chicken plate?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• swaps
• exchanges
• trades
• changes
• replaces
• switches
• shifts
• commutes
• supersedes
• interchanges
• displaces
• yields
• surrenders
• cedes
• reciprocates
• hands over

2

as in spells

to serve as a replacement usually for a time only

substituting for the talk show host while she is on vacation

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spells
• subs
• covers
• stands in
• fills in
• takes over
• steps in
• pinch-hits
• understudies
• relieves
• doubles (as)

3

as in replaces

to take the place of

"John Doe," "Jane Doe," and "Baby Doe" substituted the real names of the parties involved to preserve their privacy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• replaces
• supersedes
• supplants
• relieves
• displants
• displaces
• usurps
• cuts out
• preempts

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of substitutes

Noun

Public bond markets, banks, insurance balance sheets, and private capital are not substitutes in that system. — Jim Zelter, Fortune, 31 July 2026

Rural communities suffer particularly, with fewer rural hospitals and substitutes available. — Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Left medically treated, but isolated and lonely, children turn to television shows or video games as substitutes for human connection. — Anna Tsioulias, STAT, 29 July 2026

Instead, Jonas, Mila Kunis, Scott Foley, and Pamela Adlon will be filling in as substitutes. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 27 July 2026

In 2021, the Premier League introduced concussion substitutes, allowing teams to replace a concussed player during a match, and that not counting towards the substitution limit. — Leon Imber, New York Times, 26 July 2026

The district also wants to reduce its reliance on substitutes while building a better pipeline for future certified teachers. — Samuel O’Neal 22, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026

The link was also more pronounced among people with diabetes, who may use sugar substitutes more frequently because they are often advised to reduce sugar consumption. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 21 July 2026

This includes the substitutes and even those who haven’t played a single minute, who celebrated every goal with the same enthusiasm as the starters. — Juan Claudio Matossian, Vanity Fair, 19 July 2026

Verb

This approach substitutes information for sensation, and reduces both human and supra-human experiences to the level of data. — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026

So Tuchel, who always substitutes his wingers after roughly an hour, decided to withdraw Gordon and bring on an extra defender, Ezri Konsa. — Michael Cox, New York Times, 16 July 2026

Another way to say this is that, in place of the extensive self-announcements Plato allows his characters, Rochester substitutes his own summary judgements, his sarcastic imitations. — Literary Hub, 6 July 2026

Finally, because Helms-Burton gave presidents power to block these suits, the majority concluded that this mechanism substitutes for the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act rather than coexisting with it. — Manuel A. Gómez, The Conversation, 25 June 2026

No program substitutes for that. — Desmon Yancy, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026

It is offered as rationale for below-market compensation, as though mission alignment is a form of currency that substitutes for pay. — Charles Stanton, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026

The brand partially substitutes sugar with stevia and erythritol. — Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026

The Landmark leans into organic design with decorative wood trim work and a palette of whites, browns and soft beige, while the Marisol substitutes the traditional colors of Mediterranean design for modern white, soft gray and taupe. — Pulte Homes, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026