alternate
verb (used without object)
to interchange repeatedly and regularly with one another in time or place; rotate (usually followed bywith ).
alternated
-
past participleof alternate.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof alternate.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
alternateverb (used without object)to interchange repeatedly and regularly with one another in time or place; rotate (usually followed bywith ).
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.
Matheus Cunha: Began through the middle again and alternated with Fernandes as the furthest player forward.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
We alternated between mat and barre work, using light weights and an exercise strap and ball.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Erika alternated between sobbing so much she couldn’t speak and sharing beloved memories about Charlie.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
They passed air through larynges removed from deceased horses and then alternated the airflow between normal air and helium.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 25, 2026
She sat next to him on the front seat—with two of the babies on her lap—and alternated between clutching Dad’s arm and closing her eyes in supplication.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
