substituting

present participle of substitute
1
as in exchanging
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

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2
as in covering
to serve as a replacement usually for a time only substituting for the talk show host while she is on vacation

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in replacing
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

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 substituting The work demonstrates a way to combine a renewable waste material with nanoscale reinforcement rather than simply substituting one material for another. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026 In fact, substituting toys for all hazards and unwanted behaviors are excellent protective measures. — Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 More concerning changes include consistently struggling to recall familiar words, substituting incorrect words, losing the meaning of common words, or experiencing memory problems that are getting worse or interfering with everyday life. — Allison Forsyth, HEALTH, 2 Sep. 2026 His character Ned Schneebly was supposed to be substituting — until Dewey impersonated him and stepped in. — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026 Like the Republican critics of resistance politics, progressive ones depicted it as substituting legal tactics for electoral victories. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026 Start by substituting the x- and y-coordinates of the two points into the equation describing the line to get two new equations. — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026 Say, the need for even clearer descriptions for how long to mix pie dough; or indicating where ingredient swaps are possible, like substituting collard greens for kale in braised greens. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026 As of the publishing of this review, CPU teams are allowing guys to simply smoke themselves rather than properly substituting. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substituting
Verb
  • That architecture gives Legion another path for exchanging sensor information across aircraft.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The labor negotiations between Major League Baseball and the players’ union are a long way from reaching an agreement, but both sides are exchanging proposals that include changes to make the game better, which is encouraging.
    — Jim Bowden, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • By the end, both characters are thoroughly stranded, almost as if the series creators finally realized that the people covering the story weren’t the real story after having already committed in that direction.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2026
  • In 2012, Lynn was covering an incident in Hollywood for KTLA when his helicopter started to smoke heavily.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Instead of replacing the turbines, the company’s system is designed to add a secondary power cycle.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Without authentic longing, and without any bittersweet complexity to the portrait of one social order replacing another, we’re left with little more than puffs of amusement, enough to escalate your mood but bound to fade by morning.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The people who grew up on smartphones are now stripping them down, swapping them out or leaving them behind.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) found that swapping out a single atom inside a plastic-munching enzyme can boost its power.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Yana Radeva, shockingly a first-time actor, is quietly commanding as Veska, suggesting entire histories without spelling them out, while Grisebach’s documentary-like naturalism makes even the film’s strangest turns feel oddly plausible.
    — Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2026
  • While deep in the throes of his intestinal Hell, Tony has a series of fever dreams that start out as subtle warnings and end up practically spelling it out for him.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • According to a superseding indictment filed last year, the organization operated from at least October 2023 through May 2025 and grew largely out of friendships developed through online gaming platforms.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Now, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed making this process permanent and potentially worse by having a political appointee review all grants before they are awarded, superseding the peer review process.
    — Abdullah Shihipar, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • September 24, 2026 AI is rapidly changing how top leaders communicate with employees, customers, boards, and each other.
    — Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 24 Sep. 2026
  • That includes changing the color of its mints — a little extra gift put into every order — to the colors of the brand’s first product, a cashmere sweater.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Sagapolutele was 27 for 33 with touchdowns to three different Golden Bears before subbing out midway through the third quarter.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Within 30 seconds of subbing on, Suarez raced past multiple defenders and placed it in the side-netting for the 3-0 lead in the 81st minute.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Substituting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substituting. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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