alternate 1 of 3

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

alternate

3 of 3

noun

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
There are also five light strip colors of red, blue, yellow, white and purple for visibility in nighttime situations or flashing emergency signaling with the red, blue and alternating red/blue LEDs. Shirl Leigh april 23, New Atlas, 23 Apr. 2026 With public finances stretched thin, the government is resorting to alternate funding tools to keep projects moving. Peter Martin, Bloomberg, 23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The alternate approach of passing a bill based on incomplete information and hoping for the best has had disastrous consequences in the past. David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026 Traffic was being diverted, and drivers were urged to avoid the area and use Miami Gardens Drive, 183rd Street, as an alternate route. Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
Blackwood ended up being the first alternate if any of the three picked had sustained an injury just before the tournament. Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 16 Apr. 2026 Klonowski is an alternate, Guiser has battled injuries and Archer did not qualify. Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for alternate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alternate
Verb
  • Reduce mixer speed to low and with motor running, add dry ingredients and banana mixture in 2 batches each, alternating between batches and mixing 30 seconds after each addition before adding the next.
    Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Stock futures are mixed in pre-market trading.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Goldman Sachs estimated that Qatar could see its GDP plunge by 14%, citing its lack of alternative export channels to the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.
    Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Papadimitriou noted that the whole shipping industry is trying to drum up exports from alternative regions to keep oil moving and, crucially, to stay employed.
    Henrik Pettersson, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Scott will be 25 years old as a rookie, which gives the pairing some pause, but the Bills are currently without a backup nickel at this point.
    Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
  • During the process, on orders from Moscow, operators would be testing the turbines’ backup power system.
    Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The Wine Kitchen, originally conceived as a wine store, has evolved into a full-service, seasonal restaurant with wine as the focus and one of the most popular restaurants in Leesburg, Virginia.
    Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Fire officials said significant vegetation growth across the region, rising temperatures, low humidity and seasonal winds prompted the suspension.
    City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The substitute looks up and sends a shot crashing against the post from a tight angle.
    Ben Church, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
  • In 2025, the CMS Fraud Defense Operations Center stopped nearly $185 million in improper payments to suspect providers billing for skin substitutes.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Several of the films are among the most expensive ever made, and all of them combined have grossed more than seven billion dollars.
    Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
  • All these factors combined lead to more walks.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Shortly thereafter, transfer and compatibility tests were conducted at Picatinny Arsenal, and approximately a dozen warheads were assembled, one of which was tested on a makeshift test range bunker, according to a press release.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Soliman is accused of using a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails to burn people who’d gathered on the popular pedestrian mall for a weekly demonstration urging the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
    Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The briefing came days after Tierney secured a guilty plea from another Long Island serial killer, Rex Heuermann, who is expected to be sentenced in June after admitting to torturing and killing eight women.
    Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Tierney said the remains were found along the same stretch of parkway as serial killer victims Waterman and Taylor.
    Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Alternate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alternate. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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