alternate 1 of 3

verb

Definition of alternatenext
as in to mix
to place or do (different things) so that one follows the other in a repeated series To make the appetizer, you should alternate layers of tomatoes and cheese. The poem alternates fear and hope.

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alternate

2 of 3

adjective

1
as in alternative

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in backup

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Dissimilar Words
3
as in seasonal

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Dissimilar Words

alternate

3 of 3

noun

as in substitute

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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 alternate
Verb
Alternating Oblique Knee Drive 1 minute, alternating legs This move is for the major muscles running alongside the sides of your torso. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 26 Aug. 2026 Over 38 days, a selection of adult male mice alternated days of feeding with days without access to food. — Mike McRae 25, New Atlas, 25 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Because the county’s compost sites are nearing capacity and cannot accept more debris, plans are being made for alternate arrangements. — Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026 Return to the starting position with control and alternate sides. — Sophia Dyer, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
The Men’s Senior Selection Committee (SSC) will name the six-man team (one alternate) at the conclusion of Saturday’s competition. — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 The leagues are eight weeks, with different formats like head-to-head match play or the tag-team alternate shot each week. — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for alternate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alternate
  1. mix
  2. alternative
  3. backup
  4. seasonal
  5. substitute
  6. combine
  7. makeshift
  8. serial
Verb
  • Consider your dishwasher’s caddy size and layout; mix handle directions or use an upper rack for knives.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2026
  • By taking stem cells from a host’s own body and encouraging them to differentiate before mixing them with a commercially available, soluble matrix gel, researchers may have cracked the most critical problems in the transplant process.
    — Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of mix
Adjective
  • Most of the time, people come with their pre-existing views and biases, repeat them out loud, close their minds to alternative perspectives, and go home even more sure of their ways.
    — Ben Bland, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Another is by directing government funds to further diversify exports away from China to alternative markets.
    — Chad P. Bown, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of alternative
Adjective
  • Inadvertently, Diana’s acceptance of Dodi’s backup offer to vacation again on his superyacht Jonikal set in motion the events which brought them to Paris and their tragic, fatal crash.
    — Allie Merriam, Vanity Fair, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The only intrigue at offensive line was the backup center battle between Hudson and Patrick.
    — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of backup
Adjective
  • The team analyzed the corridor over the long term and used seasonal-trend decomposition using LOESS, a statistical method that helped separate seasonal fluctuations from longer-term settlement.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
  • At 180º Restaurant, the menu follows the rhythm of the day, from breakfast through dinner, with fresh, seasonal ingredients taking center stage.
    — Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of seasonal
Noun
  • With substitute Danny Imray, another new face at The Racecourse Ground, setting Ekomie up for his first goal in English football, Wrexham look well served in what has been a key area throughout Parkinson’s five years at the helm.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Somehow, this all dovetails with the fact that Davis and Friend were themselves substitutes for Greta Lee and Andrew Scott, who were cast as the leads when the film was announced in 2024.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of substitute
Verb
  • When combined with a hot blanket of the humidity the city has endured throughout the summer, players could be forced to withdraw from their matches or push through, risking injury.
    — Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The calculation refers to nominal total returns, combining coupon income and changes in the bond's market price.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of combine
Adjective
  • Parton died after a brief battle with cancer, with her death triggering an outpouring of grief, from fellow Hollywood stars to everyday fans who attended makeshift memorials.
    — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • China builds access road for rescue crews On the Chinese side, rescue crews completed a makeshift road to the disaster site at Gyirong Port on the Nepal border, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday.
    — Shristi Kafle, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of makeshift
Adjective
  • The cops don’t entirely buy that their serial killer is a high-school student, even as Bret identifies Robert by name.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Loosely based on the 1987 movie Black Widow and created by Elizabeth Meriwether, Furious stars Rossum as Alice Black, an FBI agent who is tracking a serial killer (played by Lola Petticrew).
    — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of serial

Browse Nearby Words

altering
alternate
alternated
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Cite this Entry

“Alternate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alternate. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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