Alternate meaning

What does “alternate” mean? Definitions, examples, synonyms and opposites.

“alternate” is a noun, verb and adjective with 10 meanings. Its most common meaning is: someone who takes the place of another person.

alternate

go back and forth; swing back and forth between two states or conditions
Synonymsjump
exchange people temporarily to fulfill certain jobs and functions
be an understudy or alternate for a role
Synonymsunderstudy
reverse (a direction, attitude, or course of action)
Synonymsinterchange tack switch flip flip-flop
do something in turns
“We take turns on the night shift”
Synonymstake turns

every second one of a series
“the cleaning lady comes on alternate Wednesdays”
“jam every other day”
serving or used in place of another
“an alternative plan”
Synonymsalternative substitute
occurring by turns; first one and then the other
“alternating feelings of love and hate”
Synonymsalternating
of leaves and branches etc; first on one side and then on the other in two ranks along an axis; not paired
“stems with alternate leaves”
Oppositesopposite

Source: WordNet 3.1, Princeton University