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

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Etymology

Origin of alternative

First recorded in 1580–90; alternate + -ive

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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

Earlier this year, Cohere said it would merge with Germany’s Aleph Alpha, a combination presented as an alternative to offerings from Silicon Valley.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

The charity's premises is to be redeveloped as part of the Belfast Stories project and Extern has tried for more than a year to find an alternative site in the city centre.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

The Taliban government acknowledged that the ban was not a "sustainable and long-term solution" without alternative livelihoods and economic support for farmers.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

If the deal closes, it could affect the chip company’s current high market share of between 60% and 65% as alternative suppliers could be sought out.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

“But most of the time, the alternative of doing nothing means extinction.”

From "Camp Panda" by Catherine Thimmesh

If a project could cause significant environmental harm that can’t easily be avoided, it undergoes a more detailed environmental review to examine its potential effects and alternatives.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

High prices encourage consumers to conserve resources and seek alternatives, while for producers they motivate more investment to capture those extraordinary profits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

The findings raise important questions about whether replacing sugar with low-calorie alternatives always delivers the health benefits consumers expect, particularly when it comes to the brain.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026

Lola Roberts, who visited Prescot Library with her children, said her son had chosen a clown costume costing £40, so she showed him free alternatives.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

So then I’d tell you about the other alternatives to help eliminate the pain.

From "Tears of a Tiger" by Sharon M. Draper

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Related Words

• opportunity
• option
• substitute

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