alternate
adjective
1. every second one of a series
- the cleaning lady comes on alternate Wednesdays
Similar word(s): cyclic, cyclical
2. serving or used in place of another
- an alternative plan
Similar word(s): secondary, alternative, substitute
3. occurring by turns; first one and then the other
- alternating feelings of love and hate
Similar word(s): cyclic, cyclical, alternating
4. of leaves and branches etc; first on one side and then on the other in two ranks along an axis; not paired
- stems with alternate leaves
Sentences with alternate as an adjective:
- And bid alternate passions fall and rise. -Alexander Pope
- the alternate members 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.
- Hyperlinked text is displayed in alternate color in a Web browser.
noun
1. someone who takes the place of another person
Similar word(s): replacement, surrogate
Definition categories: person, backup, relief, reliever, substitute
verb
1. go back and forth; swing back and forth between two states or conditions
Similar word(s): jump
Definition categories: change, alter, vary
2. exchange people temporarily to fulfill certain jobs and functions
Definition categories: social, exchange
3. be an understudy or alternate for a role
Similar word(s): understudy
Definition categories: cognition, con, learn, memorise, memorize
4. reverse (a direction, attitude, or course of action)
Similar word(s): flip, interchange, switch, tack
Definition categories: change, reverse, turn
5. do something in turns
Definition categories: change, act, move
Sentences with alternate as a verb:
- The flood and ebb tides alternate with each other.
- The land alternates between rocky hills and sandy plains.