al·ter·nate
US and Canadian
ˈȯl-tər-nət
also ˈal-;
chiefly British ȯl-ˈtər-
1
: occurring or succeeding by turns
a day of alternate sunshine and rain
2
a
: arranged first on one side and then on the other at different levels or points along an axial line
a plant with alternate leaves
compare opposite entry 1
b
: arranged one above or alongside the other
alternate layers of brick and stone
3
: every other : every second
He works on alternate days.
4
: constituting an alternative
took the alternate route home
5
: alternative sense 2
did not approve of their son's alternate lifestyle
al·ter·nate
ˈȯl-tər-ˌnāt
also ˈal-
alternated; alternating
1
: to perform by turns or in succession
alternated comedies and dramas
2
: to cause to alternate
: to change from one to another repeatedly
Rain alternated with sun.
al·ter·nate
US and Canadian
ˈȯl-tər-nət
also ˈal-;
chiefly British ȯl-ˈtər-
1
2
: one that substitutes for or alternates with another
They chose twelve jurors and two alternates.
Examples of alternate in a Sentence
Adjective
Alternate shades of wood formed a pattern around the window.
We took an alternate route because of the traffic.
Due to an emergency, the plane landed at an alternate airport.
Verb
The poem alternates fear and hope.
The light and dark woods alternate to form an elegant pattern around the window.
Noun
The town has elected five councilors and two alternates.
Recent Examples on the Web
Graham Kates, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2024
Green wrote on his alternate account, @sportswithjohn.
—Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 19 Apr. 2024
At least four of those members and one alternate need to be teenagers that live in Gilbert and go to school within Gilbert town limits, the council decided.
—Maritza Dominguez, The Arizona Republic, 19 Apr. 2024
The court quickly turned to selecting alternate jurors, with the process on track to wrap up by the end of the week.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 19 Apr. 2024
Fuel Source Gasoline and diesel are the most conventional fuel sources for portable generators, but alternate fuel options and solar generators are increasingly making their way to market.
—Sharon Brandwein, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2024
Trump hush money trial updates: Jury seated in case
Jury selection is scheduled to resume on Friday to find the remaining five alternate jurors for the case.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 18 Apr. 2024
With McShay having been dismissed in ESPN’s latest round of layoffs last summer, Field Yates took over much of McShay’s duties — including the alternate pick draft with Kiper.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2024
But then, in an alternate ending to Yamamoto’s implosion in Korea, the 25-year-old right-hander dug deep, and started racking up outs.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
Meg Bernhard, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
The former three-star recruit has alternated between cornerback and safety during his five years in Tallahassee.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
For a more playful take, choose two or three complementary shades (different shades of pink work well here), and alternate them on different fingers, or, for something more chaotic but still considered, choose a spectrum of rainbow shades.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 7 Apr. 2024
Previously, Facebook alternated between multiple formats for its video experience.
—Amrita Khalid, The Verge, 3 Apr. 2024
He’s been able to balance both careers, alternating as frontman for Staind, as well as performing as a solo country artist.
—Pam Windsor, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Henson’s vision spawned countless keepsake moments, where mingling with fans while alternating between Hugo and his alter ego, Super Hugo, is a common occurrence.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2024
The movie alternates between prankish laughs and visual poetry.
—Amy Nicholson, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
Top model Christy Turlington opened the show, dressed in a black caftan decorated with a target print on the neck, a motif that alternates with a swan, key, marble and fish prints that cover the bomber jackets, scarf dresses and skirts, plus asymmetrical tops and palazzo trousers.
—Pino Gagliardi, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Apr. 2024
Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 7 Mar. 2024
Seventeen jurors sat through the entire trial, not knowing who would be alternates.
—Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 5 Feb. 2024
Six of them will deliberate, while the others will serve as alternates.
—Melissa Chan, NBC News, 10 Jan. 2024
The 49ers won’t have the capability to sit their nine Pro Bowl players or 12 alternates.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2024
The Vikings also had a handful of alternates selected for Pro Bowl Games, including fullback C.J.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 3 Jan. 2024
These are the alternates: A woman who works two days a week in a dental office and is married to a sales manager.
—Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 13 Mar. 2024
Honoring 1943’s four-week Warsaw Ghetto Uprising that saw Jewish resistance against the Nazis, the date alternates based on the Hebrew calendar.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 27 Jan. 2024
Depending on which players opt out of the Pro Bowl, that's when the alternates get a spot in the game.
—Kelsey Conway, The Enquirer, 4 Jan. 2024
Adjective
Twelve jurors and one alternate were seated in the first three days of jury selection.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2024
Green wrote on his alternate account, @sportswithjohn.
—Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 19 Apr. 2024
At least four of those members and one alternate need to be teenagers that live in Gilbert and go to school within Gilbert town limits, the council decided.
—Maritza Dominguez, The Arizona Republic, 19 Apr. 2024
The court quickly turned to selecting alternate jurors, with the process on track to wrap up by the end of the week.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 19 Apr. 2024
Fuel Source Gasoline and diesel are the most conventional fuel sources for portable generators, but alternate fuel options and solar generators are increasingly making their way to market.
—Sharon Brandwein, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2024
Trump hush money trial updates: Jury seated in case
Jury selection is scheduled to resume on Friday to find the remaining five alternate jurors for the case.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 18 Apr. 2024
With McShay having been dismissed in ESPN’s latest round of layoffs last summer, Field Yates took over much of McShay’s duties — including the alternate pick draft with Kiper.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2024
But then, in an alternate ending to Yamamoto’s implosion in Korea, the 25-year-old right-hander dug deep, and started racking up outs.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
Verb
The sun occasionally glimmered through fish-scale clouds, and the air alternated between warm and cold.
—Meg Bernhard, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
The former three-star recruit has alternated between cornerback and safety during his five years in Tallahassee.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
For a more playful take, choose two or three complementary shades (different shades of pink work well here), and alternate them on different fingers, or, for something more chaotic but still considered, choose a spectrum of rainbow shades.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 7 Apr. 2024
Previously, Facebook alternated between multiple formats for its video experience.
—Amrita Khalid, The Verge, 3 Apr. 2024
He’s been able to balance both careers, alternating as frontman for Staind, as well as performing as a solo country artist.
—Pam Windsor, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Henson’s vision spawned countless keepsake moments, where mingling with fans while alternating between Hugo and his alter ego, Super Hugo, is a common occurrence.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2024
The movie alternates between prankish laughs and visual poetry.
—Amy Nicholson, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
Top model Christy Turlington opened the show, dressed in a black caftan decorated with a target print on the neck, a motif that alternates with a swan, key, marble and fish prints that cover the bomber jackets, scarf dresses and skirts, plus asymmetrical tops and palazzo trousers.
—Pino Gagliardi, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Apr. 2024
Noun
An all-white jury of nine women and six men — three of whom will be designated as alternates before deliberations begin — was seated Wednesday.
—Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 7 Mar. 2024
Seventeen jurors sat through the entire trial, not knowing who would be alternates.
—Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 5 Feb. 2024
Six of them will deliberate, while the others will serve as alternates.
—Melissa Chan, NBC News, 10 Jan. 2024
The 49ers won’t have the capability to sit their nine Pro Bowl players or 12 alternates.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2024
The Vikings also had a handful of alternates selected for Pro Bowl Games, including fullback C.J.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 3 Jan. 2024
These are the alternates: A woman who works two days a week in a dental office and is married to a sales manager.
—Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 13 Mar. 2024
Honoring 1943’s four-week Warsaw Ghetto Uprising that saw Jewish resistance against the Nazis, the date alternates based on the Hebrew calendar.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 27 Jan. 2024
Depending on which players opt out of the Pro Bowl, that's when the alternates get a spot in the game.
—Kelsey Conway, The Enquirer, 4 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alternate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to alternate
Dictionary Entries Near alternate
Cite this Entry
“Alternate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alternate. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
alternate
1 of 3 adjective
al·ter·nate
ˈȯl-tər-nət
also ˈal-
1
: occurring or following by turns
a day of alternate sunshine and rain
2
a
: occurring first on one side and then on the other at different levels along an axis
alternate leaves on a plant stem
b
: arranged one above, beside, or next to another
alternate layers of meat and cheese
3
: every other : every second
works on alternate days
4
: being one of the things between which a choice is to be made
we took an alternate route
alternately
adverb
alternate
2 of 3 verb
al·ter·nate
ˈȯl-tər-ˌnāt
also ˈal-
alternated; alternating
1
: to do, occur, or act by turns
2
: to cause to alternate
alternate
3 of 3 noun
al·ter·nate
-nət
: a person named to take the place of another when necessary
Legal Definition
alternate
1 of 2 adjective
al·ter·nate
ˈȯl-tər-nət, ˈal-
1
: occurring or succeeding by turns
2
: being an alternative
alternate juror
alternate
2 of 2 noun1
2
: one that substitutes for another
twelve jurors and three alternates
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