alternateverb
uk/ˈɒl.tə.neɪt/us/ˈɑːl.tɚ.neɪt/C1 [ I usually + adv/prep ] to happen or exist one after the other repeatedly:
[ T usually + adv/prep ] to make something happen or exist one after the other repeatedly:
More examples
- In this type of mental illness, the usual pattern is bouts of depression alternating with elation.
- Throughout the holiday, the weather alternated between rain and sunshine every day.
- She swam up and down, alternating between crawl and backstroke.
- Saturdays at the club alternate between 1970s disco and house/garage.
- The area boasts miles of unspoilt coastline alternating between cliffs and sandy beaches.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Changing
- a new broom sweeps clean idiom
- about-turn
- alter
- alternation
- bastardize
- change management
- convert
- move the goalposts idiom
- move with the times idiom
- new
- new broom
- onto
- polymorphous
- reverse
- swing
- transform
- transitional
- transmogrify
- transmute
- turn (sb/sth) into sb/sth
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alternateadjective [ before noun ]
uk/ɒlˈtɜː.nət/us/ˈɑːl.tɝː.nət/with first one thing, then another thing, and then the first thing again:
C1 If something happens on alternate days, it happens every second day:
US UK alternative An alternate plan or method is one that you can use if you do not want to use another one.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Simultaneous and consecutive
- accompany
- all the while idiom
- along
- along the way idiom
- back-to-back
- go
- in tandem idiom
- in the process idiom
- live
- no sooner ... than idiom
- once
- one after another idiom
- over
- synchronous
- tandem
- the minute (that) idiom
- through
- throughout
- together
- under
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
alternatenoun [ C ]
uk/ˈɒl.tə.nət//ˈɑːl.tɝː.nət/US a person or thing that can take the place of another:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Replacing and exchanging
- alternatively
- bargain sth away
- change over
- change places idiom
- countermand
- fill
- part exchange
- pinch-hit
- pre-empt
- proxy
- refill
- rep
- represent
- reserve
- sit
- succeed
- succession
- supersede
- supplant
- swap
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