alternative

American  

[awl-tur-nuh-tiv, al-] / ɔlˈtɜr nə tɪv, æl- /

noun

• alternatives
  plural

1. 

   a choice limited to one of two or more possibilities, as of things, propositions, or courses of action, the selection of which precludes any other possibility.

   You have the alternative of riding or walking.

   Synonyms:

   selection, option

2. one of the things, propositions, or courses of action that can be chosen.

   The alternative to riding is walking.

3. a possible or remaining course or choice.

   There was no alternative but to walk.

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adjective

1. affording a choice of two or more things, propositions, or courses of action.

2. (of two things, propositions, or courses) mutually exclusive so that if one is chosen the other must be rejected.

   The alternative possibilities are neutrality and war.

3. employing or following nontraditional or unconventional ideas, methods, etc.; existing outside the establishment.

   an alternative newspaper; alternative lifestyles.

4. Logic. (of a proposition) asserting two or more choices, at least one of which is true.

alternative British  

/ ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪv /

noun

1. a possibility of choice, esp between two things, courses of action, etc

2. either of such choices

   we took the alternative of walking

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adjective

1. presenting a choice, esp between two possibilities only

2. (of two things) mutually exclusive

3. denoting a lifestyle, culture, art form, etc, regarded by its adherents as preferable to that of contemporary society because it is less conventional, materialistic, or institutionalized, and, often, more in harmony with nature

4. logic another word for disjunctive

Synonym Usage

See choice.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• alternativeness
  noun
• alternativity
  noun
• quasi-alternative
  adjective
• alternatively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• alternatives
  plural

Etymology

Origin of alternative

First recorded in 1580–90; alternate + -ive

Explanation

When you're facing a fork in the road, you have two possibilities, or alternatives. You could take the left fork and see where it leads, or you could choose the path that goes to the right. Whenever there is an alternative, it involves a choice. A wealthy student has the choice of going to a public school, or the alternative, a private school. Alternative can also refer to a different way of doing things, outside the norm. You might say that a hermit who lives in remote a cave with a pet turtle is living an alternative lifestyle.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

alternative alternatives

Medicare Advantage is the private-plan alternative to traditional Medicare.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026

The city was developing alternative pontoon crossings to help ease the gridlock in a city with a daytime population -- including commuters -- of around 3.5 million.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

They can do so by investing in alternative institutions and new competitors, as Mr. Griffin has at CMU and I have at the University of Austin.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

But while both of these things are better than the alternative for any party leader, they are not the same as being popular.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

It’s an old song she snitched from her mother—British alternative, rising good energy, from the time of shoulder pads and big hair.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

Researchers have identified potential alternatives — including seaweed, cassava waste, single-cell proteins produced by fungi and even sewage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

That decision, they said, would focus on binding agreements like one towards electrification -- replacing technologies that burn fossil fuels directly, like diesel cars and gas heating, with electric alternatives.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

However, a review has warned that closing them could cause increased congestion and noise on alternatives routes.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

In the mid-1980s, the Victorian government launched a major restructure of the timber industry, and invested today’s equivalent of A$26 million to explore alternatives to clearfelling.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 4, 2026

The terms favored in this course are mostly those in common use in the U.S., but when more than one system of terms is widely used, the alternatives are mentioned.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Related Words

• opportunity
• option
• substitute