alternate

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "alternate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used as an adjective, noun, or verb. For example: We took an alternate route home to avoid traffic.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Travel

Lifestyle

TV & Radio

Tech

Opinion

Sport

World

Music

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

In this week's Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ruffalo returns to the greenest green screen in the business, to alternate between brooding and smashing.

The Guardian - Film

The terror group stressed in a series of written answers to the Guardian's questions that future attacks would alternate between the "military, political and economic targets".

The Guardian

You could almost take it for granted that Oman would buy British, or that Saudi Arabia would alternate between the US and the UK.

The Guardian - Business

My legs seemed to alternate between jelly and lumps of lead and even though my lap times didn't differ too much it felt incredibly hard work.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

As we travel, we like to alternate between periods of relative stasis – renting a house or an apartment in a place we like – and periods of big adventures, typically overland.

The Guardian - Travel

An 11th-century Persian ruler advised his son to alternate his partners seasonally: young men in the summer and women in the winter.

The Economist

Hence the careful instructions to alternate "Thank You Tom!" signs with those tastefully oblique "Ready" signs along the sidelines of the steak fry.

The Economist

That is a big role in a country where the ruling Popular Party (PP) of Mariano Rajoy and the Socialists tend to alternate in power.

The Economist

Ms Xin points out that the Chinese version of the Harvard Business Review is a must-read in the upper echelons of state-owned companies.Members of this new generation of managers are changing the management of the public sector, too, as they alternate between the corporate domain and government.

The Economist

No longer will the role of chief executive alternate between French and German bosses: Mr Enders will keep the job as long as the board wants him to remain.

The Economist

An excellent and detailed investigative report by Bloomberg provides an answer: the SEC is a captured organization whose employees regularly alternate between government and lobbying on behalf of the firms the SEC is meant to keep in line.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "alternate" as an adjective, ensure clarity by specifying what the options are. For instance, "alternate routes" is clearer than just "alternate".

Common error

Avoid using "alternate" when you mean "alternative". "Alternate" implies a recurring sequence, while "alternative" simply means another option is available.

Linguistic Context

The word "alternate" functions as a verb, an adjective, or a noun, depending on the context. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and versatile usage across various sentence structures. As a verb, it describes the act of taking turns. As an adjective, it modifies nouns to indicate an alternative or recurring pattern. As a noun, it refers to a substitute or replacement.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

20%

Lifestyle

10%

Less common in

Travel

5%

Opinion

5%

Sport

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "alternate" is a versatile word that can function as a verb, adjective, or noun. According to Ludwig AI, it is correct and frequently used in written English. It's commonly found in News & Media, Formal & Business, and Lifestyle contexts. When using "alternate", it's crucial to differentiate it from "alternative", with "alternate" indicating a recurring sequence and "alternative" referring to a different option. Usage examples from The Guardian and The Economist show its application in various scenarios, confirming its widespread acceptance and neutral formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

alternative

Suggests the existence of a different option or possibility.

take turns

Focuses on the action of individuals or entities succeeding each other in a sequence.

switch between

Highlights the act of changing back and forth between two or more options or states.

interchange

Implies a mutual exchange or alternation between two things.

every other

Specifies a pattern where items are selected or occur in intervals of two.

rotate

Emphasizes the cyclical nature of the succession or exchange.

reciprocal

Emphasizes the mutual or corresponding nature of an action or relationship.

substitute

Implies that one thing is used in place of another.

stand-in

Suggests serving as a replacement, usually temporarily.

vicarious

Implies experiencing something through another person.

FAQs

How can I use "alternate" in a sentence?

You can use "alternate" as a verb, meaning to perform by turns, or as an adjective, describing something that occurs in turns or is an alternative. For example: "We "alternate" between studying and taking breaks" or "There's an "alternate" route if there's traffic".

What's the difference between "alternate" and "alternative"?

"Alternate" describes something that occurs in turns or successions, while "alternative" refers to another option or possibility. For example, "Alternate days" means every other day, whereas an "alternative plan" is a different plan.

What are some synonyms for "alternate"?

Synonyms for "alternate" include "take turns", "interchange", and "rotate" when used as a verb, and "alternative", "substitute", and "reciprocal" when used as an adjective.

Is it correct to say "alternate plan"?

While "alternate plan" is commonly used, "alternative plan" is technically more accurate since you're referring to another option. "Alternate" usually implies a repeated sequence or pattern.