Thesaurus results for 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

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substitutes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of substitute

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?

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as in spells

to serve as a replacement usually for a time only substituting for the talk show host while she is on vacation

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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

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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 substitutes

Noun

Ohio has seen fewer deaths but more risky behavior lately as fentanyl supplies dry up and people turn to substitutes tainted by animal tranquilizers. —

Kaitlin Coward, Boston Herald, 27 Mar. 2026 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, Sourcing Journal, 26 Mar. 2026 That crew of starters, minus Bravo-Young, did enter as substitutes. —

Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026 If a strike happens, NYU says some classes would switch to remote learning and others would be covered by substitutes, including other NYU faculty and outside instructors. —

Noelle Lilley, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026 In a La Liga match Barca played at Real Betis in December, TV broadcaster Movistar filmed Szczesny throwing paper balls at his fellow substitutes on the bench, with Pedri and Raphinha his preferred victims. —

Pol Ballús, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026 Bayern coach Vincent Kompany had several youngsters among the substitutes. —

ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026 New copper substitutes, like ultra-conductive aluminum, carbon nanotubes, and niobium phosphide, are promising but still in their infancy. —

Adam Charles Simon, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026 To address this, Ibrahim explained the school district currently has six full-time equivalent staff members to step in as regular substitutes or certified teachers. —

Alexandra Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026

Verb

Ramps substitutes Because their season is so short, ramps can be hard to track down. —

Kelly Vaughan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026 Once that trio had run themselves into the ground, substitutes Moore, Josh Windass and Nathan Broadhead took over to keep the pressure on. —

Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026 Young Man in a Hurry substitutes status anxiety for race. —

Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026 This kind of both-sides-ism, increasingly common in right-leaning partisan media ecosystems, substitutes balance of the blame for balance of the facts. —

Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 16 Feb. 2026 Executive interpretation increasingly substitutes for legislative intent. —

Alejandro Reyes, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026 Target’s four-person meal costs less than $20, about the same as in 2024, but substitutes green beans and cream of mushroom soup for French bread and frozen corn — also not an apples-to-apples comparison. —

Dave Smith, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for substitutes

Noun

In 2012, the NFL was caught off guard, forced to pluck unqualified replacements, some of whom were fanboys of specific teams and another of whom was a competitor in the World Series of Poker.

— Troy Renck, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
Gash and Brin, who are Highland Park residents, disclosed their decisions not to seek reelection to lead their parties on Wednesday, giving the respective precinct committeepersons time to evaluate potential replacements before their April conventions.

— Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026