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?

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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

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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

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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 substituting Finally, try substituting egg yolks instead of using the whole egg listed in the ingredients of your box brownie mix. Patricia S York, Southern Living, 1 June 2026 The amounts are so small that adding or substituting Himalayan salt for regular salt will have no nutritional impact. Sheah Rarback, Miami Herald, 30 May 2026 The problem of companies substituting hemp for marijuana dates to 2018, when Congress legalized hemp, a close cousin of marijuana that has only trace amounts of THC, the psychoactive compound that makes people high. Christopher Osher, ProPublica, 15 May 2026 The restaurant also has vegan versions of many of its most popular menu items, substituting meat for falafel and its aioli and tzatziki sauces with lemon-herb tahini dressing. Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 12 May 2026 According to report last month by Morgan Stanley, there are signs the pill is already expanding the market – that is, customers aren’t just those substituting pens for pills, but many are GLP-1 newcomers. Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 7 May 2026 These changes were to be achieved by increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, decreasing the consumption of meat and eggs, and substituting nonfat milk for whole milk. Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026 Farke responded by substituting Bijol for Joe Rodon, who was much more confident in carrying the ball forward, and James Justin for Stach. Beren Cross, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026 Here opposites — classy and brassy — are distractions, with odd-couple joking substituting for something more substantial. Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substituting
Verb
  • The apparent loss of the aircraft came after hostilities in the region escalated over the weekend, with Iran and Israel exchanging their first direct strikes in months late Sunday.
    Todd Symons, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
  • An armed intruder was shot and killed after exchanging gunfire with a homeowner, authorities said.
    Jazmin Alvarado, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
Verb
  • Leander Schaerlaeckens is a long-time soccer writer and has worked for ESPN, FOX Sports, and Yahoo Sports, among others, covering the United States men’s national team at three World Cups.
    Leander Schaerlaeckens June 8, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
  • Meanwhile, Nico Hoerner was the starting shortstop in Saturday’s lineup, with rookie infielder Pedro Ramírez covering second base, underlining the potential options for a club with several versatile defenders.
    Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • Otherwise, tenants would be allowed to withhold up to 50% of their rent or $500, whichever is greater, and put the money toward replacing the broken appliance or fixing whatever needs to be remedied.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 3 June 2026
  • The renovations included painting columns, refurbishing marble, replacing chairs and renovating stages, according to previous USA TODAY reporting.
    Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • China’s largest battery maker CATL has unveiled a new battery pack architecture that allows sodium-ion and lithium-ion batteries to be used inside the same enclosure, a move aimed at accelerating sodium-ion deployment in electric vehicles, battery-swapping networks, and energy storage systems.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 June 2026
  • During the final week of school in May, students in the San Dieguito Union High School District turned in their Chromebooks for the summer, hopefully swapping their screens for sunshine, beach days and relaxation.
    Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • Tatis in right field means is Sung-Mun Song at second base for the first time since May 15 and in the field for the first time since spelling Xander Bogaerts at shortstop on May 23.
    Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2026
  • Those opportunities finally started to pop up in 2023, when Dowdle ran for 361 yards while occasionally spelling Tony Pollard.
    CBS News, CBS News, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • The Southern Poverty Law Center asked a federal judge on Wednesday to consider sanctioning federal prosecutors, after the Justice Department shared an unsigned and unstamped copy of a superseding indictment against the nonprofit with members of the media.
    Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 4 June 2026
  • Not all of the bets were successful because Rozier collected four rebounds, which was more than the betting line, the superseding indictment said.
    Rebecca Boone, Fortune, 29 May 2026
Verb
  • Which teams are surprising, which are underperforming, and which are one do-over away from changing their fate.
    Chad Jennings, New York Times, 29 May 2026
  • That stat best illustrates how times are changing in the NIL and revenue-share era.
    Jeff Sentell, AJC.com, 29 May 2026
Verb
  • Swanson is a healthy player, Counsell said, and the manager wound up subbing him in as the automatic runner at second base for Saturday’s 10th inning against the San Francisco Giants.
    Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 7 June 2026
  • The 23-year-old Cleary notched his first assist, starting for the first time after subbing into the match last time out in his debut.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Substituting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substituting. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.

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