alternately
adverb
al·ter·nate·ly
US and Canadian
ˈȯl-tər-nət-lē
also ˈal-;
chiefly British ȯl-ˈtər-
1
: by turns one after the other
His heart rate was 175, his blood pressure alternately spiking and falling.—
Stephen King
Stephen KingAs the gravitational waves passed Earth, they would alternately compress and expand the space between two objects.—Neil deGrasse Tyson et al.
Neil deGrasse Tyson et al.The rest of the day I spent alternately pacing the length of the train … or looking out the windows.—Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan2
: as an alternative
—used to introduce a different possibility from what has been previously suggested or described
From then on, you can take out almost $10,000 a year and annuitize $160,000 after at least ten years. Alternately, you can make no withdrawals and let your guaranteed base grow by 6 percent a year.—Kerry Pechter
Kerry PechterThe club was originally known as Fontana Bar (or, alternately, Fontana Lounge and Fontana Room) from Bellagio's opening until it shifted to Hyde in December 2011.—John Katsilometes
John KatsilometesYou could be in for a pretty remarkable experience—or, alternately, one of the most miserable and terrifying nights of your life.—Drew Schwartz
Drew SchwartzExamples of alternately in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in 3 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition.
—
Marianne Williams,
Southern Living,
2 July 2026
Squeezed into a latex bodysuit and donning cornrows, Madonna alternately wields a whip, is bound to a chair and poses with a Chihuahua — in matching latex.
—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
29 June 2026
Over the course of the evening, things will be alternately tense, flirty, vulnerable and revelatory as surprisingly little food is eaten.
—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
25 June 2026
After a long line of speakers alternately applauded or slammed the McLean senior living complex’s bid to build 40 more homes, the zoning board in Simsbury continued its hearing until next month.
—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for alternately
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Marianne Williams,
Southern Living,
2 July 2026
Squeezed into a latex bodysuit and donning cornrows, Madonna alternately wields a whip, is bound to a chair and poses with a Chihuahua — in matching latex.
—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
29 June 2026
Over the course of the evening, things will be alternately tense, flirty, vulnerable and revelatory as surprisingly little food is eaten.
—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
25 June 2026
After a long line of speakers alternately applauded or slammed the McLean senior living complex’s bid to build 40 more homes, the zoning board in Simsbury continued its hearing until next month.
—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for alternately
Cite this Entry
“Alternately.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alternately. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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