as in alternate
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as in mixing
to place or do (different things) so that one follows the other in a repeated series
To make the appetizer, you should alternate layers of tomatoes and cheese. The poem alternates fear and hope.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of alternating
Rafael Guerrero, chicagotribune.com, 3 Nov. 2020
In Montgomery, churches could have alternating rows of pews roped off and pillows placed in the others, asking only family members to sit together.
—Dennis Pillion | Dpillion@al.com, al, 19 Apr. 2020
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Jan. 2026
The first ring, which Rainier proposed with, was an eternity band, alternating heirloom red rubies and diamonds from Rainier’s family.
—Erica Marrison, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for alternating
Adjective
District 203 Superintendent Dan Bridges said early childhood students in full-day preschool will begin returning to their schools on an alternating-day basis beginning Thursday.
—Rafael Guerrero, chicagotribune.com, 3 Nov. 2020
In Montgomery, churches could have alternating rows of pews roped off and pillows placed in the others, asking only family members to sit together.
—Dennis Pillion | Dpillion@al.com, al, 19 Apr. 2020
Verb
The pilot isn’t quite sure what makes Arthur funny, alternating between jokes about his artistic pretensions and his extreme whiteness.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Jan. 2026
The first ring, which Rainier proposed with, was an eternity band, alternating heirloom red rubies and diamonds from Rainier’s family.
—Erica Marrison, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for alternating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alternating
Adjective
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Tyler Huntley made it as an alternate three years ago after throwing two touchdowns and three interceptions in four starts with the Baltimore Ravens.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Some departments reduced their footprint in Sacramento after the COVID-19 pandemic forced many to work from home and, in the interim years, employees have adapted to sharing workstations with coworkers who are in offices on alternate days.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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With the motor running, add 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces, a piece at a time, mixing after each addition until almost completely incorporated before adding more, 10–14 minutes total.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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In the Chicago area, the traffic is often dense, mixing trucks and cars traveling at different speeds, with merging traffic and lanes that become turn-only.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Food and drink The all-day Mowry & Cotton with its upscale Americana interior and expansive patio has an approachable menu of seasonal salads, steaks, seafood, and flatbreads from the wood-burning oven along with crafty cocktails including a smoked Old Fashioned that’s torched tableside.—
Lizbeth Scordo,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Jan. 2026
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There are also monthly seasonal flavors on offer.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There’s an urge to reconnect with our heritage, and people are undertaking ancestry pilgrimages, combining boots-on-the-ground investigation into family trees and searching for documents in town halls, with discovering the places our ancestors used to call home.—
Alex Ledsom,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Until now, combining such materials with complex 3D microstructures remained out of reach.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The rhythmic movement of rowing trains your body to maintain effort over time.—
RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan,
Health,
30 Jan. 2026
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The other consisted of rhythmic musical patterns.—
Clarissa Brincat,
Parents,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The ability to transcend darkness and light is similar to Libra’s juxtaposing scales, which are needed for balance.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
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Each of Cicellis’s retellings transforms its myth into a short story set in mid-20th-century Greece, juxtaposing an ancient sense of fate against the messy uncertainty of modernity.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Memory has consistently been among the most cyclical industries within semiconductors.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Summary Delta Air Lines no long carries the same risks as a cyclical airline, yet the stock continues to be valued as one.—
Tony Zhang,
CNBC,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Our version of Brunswick stew is the best of both worlds, incorporating both pork and chicken like the Georgia version, and adding lima beans in Virginian style.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
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Like blue, designers say the key to incorporating green countertops in your space is to use the color sparingly, opting for subtle incorporations.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Alternating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alternating. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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