alternately

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "alternately" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that two or more things are happening in turn or in succession. Example: "You can alternately choose to work from home or come into the office on designated days."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The rooms look a bit like stone thatched wigwams, some with private terraces, but it's the drama of the cliff-edge dotted with diving platforms that holds everyone's attention, alternately tempting and terrifying.

The Guardian - Travel

He won the Bafta Writer's Award in 1985, but eventually found it difficult, as the millennium neared, to come to terms with the new demands of TV writing, what he called "being alternately patronised and bullied by girls called Fiona flourishing clipboards".

The Guardian

It's much more than just me being skipper: I'm alternately their coach, their mother and their chaperone".

The Guardian - Sport

Heather, having already unleashed the ties securing the main sail to the boom says, "right, who's going first?" We alternately haul and winch the sail into position and five minutes later are, unbelievably, almost ready.

The Guardian - Travel

Narcissists can have violent mood swings as they are alternately inflated and deflated, puffed up by hubris, or crushed by a collision with reality that cracks open a cauldron of shame.

The Guardian

Britain's middle-market newspapers are alternately fawning (over the baby) and appalled at his new mother, speculating gleefully that, if Mr and Mrs Ritchie have breached English law, they could be jailed.From a public-relations point of view, baby David's new parents have two things working against them.

The Economist

For those alternately appalled and fascinated by college athletics, Stanford's Rock Centre for Corporate Governance has published a thinking exercise: what if NCAA members had an "NCAA Act" structured along the lines of the Dodd-Frank bill?

The Economist

In "Match Point" we see her alternately provoke and resist Jonathan Rhys Meyers' adulterous craving for her, then helplessly give in.

The Economist

Such fields can be used to accelerate bunches of electrons injected into the plasma alternately with the protons.According to AWAKE's spokesman, Allen Caldwell of the Max Planck Institute for Physics in Munich, the electric fields in a machine like this will be 100 times stronger than those of the ILC.

The Economist

Gordon Brown and his Labour government, facing probable defeat in the general election that must be held in Britain by next June, have alternately exhibited both these contradictory tendencies.

The Economist

A set of concentric rings, alternately transparent and opaque, will scatter and spread light waves in a manner that causes them to reinforce each other some distance away, and thus form an image.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider using "alternatively" when you mean 'as an alternative', and "alternately" when you mean 'in a sequence'. While they can be interchangeable in some contexts, this will help ensure your message is best conveyed.

Common error

Many writers mistakenly use "alternately" when they mean "alternatively". "Alternately" means 'in a sequence', while "alternatively" introduces an option or alternative. Using the wrong word can confuse your readers. Double-check your intended meaning to ensure you're using the correct word.

How to use

Learn how to use "alternately" with practical examples and tips.

How to use

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "alternately" is as an adverb. It modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to describe how an action is performed or how a state changes in an alternating manner, as shown by Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "alternately" functions as an adverb to describe actions or states that occur in a sequential or alternating pattern. As Ludwig AI indicates, its usage is grammatically correct and prevalent across various contexts, especially in news and media sources. Be mindful to avoid confusing it with "alternatively", which introduces an alternative option. Employ "alternately" to enhance clarity and precision when illustrating a recurring sequence of events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in turn

This alternative emphasizes the sequential order of events.

by turns

This phrase highlights the changing or alternating nature of the actions.

one after the other

This alternative emphasizes the consecutive nature of the actions.

in succession

This phrase focuses on the orderly sequence of events.

reciprocally

This alternative suggests a mutual or corresponding action between two parties.

interchangeably

This emphasizes the ability to switch between two options.

on alternate occasions

This specifies that something happens every other time.

every other time

This is a more explicit way of saying something happens with intervals.

periodically

This suggests recurring intervals, but not necessarily strictly alternating.

variously

This highlights the variation in actions or events over time.

FAQs

How do I use "alternately" in a sentence?

Use "alternately" to describe actions or events that occur in a sequential, alternating pattern. For example, "The lights flashed "alternately" red and blue."

What is the difference between "alternately" and "alternatively"?

"Alternately" means 'in a sequence or by turns', while "alternatively" means 'as an alternative'. For example, "You can drive, or "alternatively", take the train."

Can I use "in turn" instead of "alternately"?

Yes, "in turn" is a suitable alternative to "alternately" when emphasizing the sequential order of actions. For example, "The speakers presented "in turn"."

What are some common synonyms for "alternately"?

Common synonyms for "alternately" include "by turns", "one after the other", and "in succession depending on the specific context you want to convey".