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alternate

[awl-ter-nayt, al-, awl-ter-nit, al-] / ˈɔl tərˌneɪt, ˈæl-, ˈɔl tər nɪt, ˈæl- /
ADJECTIVE
substitute
Synonyms
Antonyms






Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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The "Modern Warfare" games depict military conflicts in the modern era, inspired by international tensions, while the "Black Ops" games take place in an alternate reality where the Cold War never ended.

From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026

David Ross is an alternate in the Torrance branch of the public defenders office and also works in Bellflower and Long Beach.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026

Why would Slate go to the trouble of creating this alternate reality?

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026

Exploiting a scheduling quirk—Singapore’s 8 p.m. race typically follows a slate of afternoon starts in Europe—the entire paddock just lives in an alternate, nocturnal universe.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

But in what alternate universe do I belong in the debate club?

From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden

The disease often alternates between periods when symptoms are controlled and sudden flare-ups that can become severe enough to require hospital care.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

They don’t deserve a museum that alternates between ignoring and condemning our extraordinary heritage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

The rest of the album alternates between chaos and control, introspection and criticism, grungy beats and hazy surrealism.

From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026

It alternates between "found footage" segments filmed in first person that resemble his web show, and more classic filmic shots.

From Barron's ● May 28, 2026

“Okay. Will do. I shall read the alternates first. Two fifth graders. Two from sixth grade. Amanda Firestone. Molly North. Elena Rodriguez. Rodney Mosul.”

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

During this moment, electronic bonds between neighboring sites alternated between stronger and weaker in a repeating pattern.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026

Meanwhile, his shower alternated between freezing cold and "scalding hot".

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

Erika alternated between sobbing so much she couldn’t speak and sharing beloved memories about Charlie.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

Yamamoto threw 20 pitches to a pair of his teammates, with right-handed hitting catcher Will Smith and left-handed hitting infielder Hyeseong Kim alternated at-bats.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026

Thereafter she alternated between the former masters and the former slaves.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Developed in parallel by several studios, "Call of Duty" has been split into two series for more than 15 years, with new titles released in alternating years.

From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026

Safety had become a concern, and Edison argued that high-tension currents, particularly alternating current, posed an unacceptable danger.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

Under ultraviolet light, some scales in the caudal region show alternating light and dark bands running across the tail.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

Government responses have included daily individual caps on fuel purchases, a ban on stockpiling and an alternating licence-plate scheme intended to reduce the number of cars filling up.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

The horses continue circling, with the white horses passing the black horses and then the black horses passing the white horses, with the end result always being alternating colors.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen


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