1. To switch between two things or have them take turns.
2. A person or thing that can take another's place when needed.
3. Occurring at every second instance in a sequence.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- alternate between tasks
- alternate work and rest
On the page
The crew alternated between repairs and short periods of rest.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- alternate
- Past tense
- alternated
- Past participle
- alternated
- Present participle
- alternating
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- alternate
- Present continuous
- am/is/are alternating
- Present perfect
- have/has alternated
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been alternating
- Past
- alternated
- Past continuous
- was/were alternating
- Past perfect
- had alternated
- Past perfect continuous
- had been alternating
- Future
- will alternate
- Future continuous
- will be alternating
- Future perfect
- will have alternated
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been alternating
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: alternate; alternates; alternated; alternated; alternating. Noun singular alternate; plural alternates. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: analysis, explanation. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: alternates.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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