alternately
Britishadverb
Explanation
When something happens by turns, first one way and then another, it occurs alternately. You might spend a long train trip alternately gazing out the window and scrolling on your phone. There are two ways to use this adverb: first, to mean "in an alternating pattern," or going back and forth from one thing to another. Spend a race alternately running and stopping to tie your shoes and you're probably not going to win. It also means "here's another possibility," so you might say: "I'm ordering the fish. Alternately, I'll get the fries and a salad." Alternately has a Latin root that means "to do one thing, then the other."
Vocabulary lists containing alternately
Shake It Up: Alter
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Boy 2.0
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
When Sea Becomes Sky
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Alternately, Sheinbaum could “shield herself in sovereignty,” refusing to surrender the accused — at least for now.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026
Alternately, lenders increase protections when they have leverage over borrowers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025
Alternately, a victory for the government in the courts could leave a major employer out of pocket.
From BBC • Nov. 5, 2024
"Alternately, persistent activity occurs when the cortical wave disappears but the entorhinal neurons remember that there was a wave very recently, and continue rolling forward."
From Science Daily • May 8, 2024
Alternately bored and frightened at home, the playground was his joy.
From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
