replacement

American  

[ri-pleys-muhnt] / rɪˈpleɪs mənt /

noun

1. the act of replacing.

2. a person or thing that replaces another.

   summer replacements for vacationing staff; a replacement for a broken dish.

3. Military. a sailor, soldier, or airman assigned to fill a vacancy in a military unit.

4. Also called metasomatism.  Geology. the process of practically simultaneous removal and deposition by which a new mineral grows in the body of an old one.

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replacement British  

/ rɪˈpleɪsmənt /

noun

1. the act or process of replacing

2. a person or thing that replaces another

3. geology the growth of a mineral within another of different chemical composition by gradual simultaneous deposition and removal

4. Also called: petrification.  a process of fossilization by gradual substitution of mineral matter for the original organic matter

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Other Word Forms

• nonreplacement noun

Etymology

Origin of replacement

First recorded in 1780–90; replace + -ment

Example Sentences

The need for both front and rear wings to open to increase the amount of energy harvesting possible meant a replacement was needed for the DRS overtaking aid, which had made passing easier since 2011.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Gen. Todd Blanche, Trump’s former personal criminal defense attorney, will serve as acting attorney general until a permanent replacement is named.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

Whether the price increases prove temporary will depend on how long the Iran conflict lasts and the new level of replacement tariffs.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

But after much disagreement, the replacement officials mistakenly awarded Seattle a touchdown—and the victory.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

“Sir, I’ll be taking an additional patrol duty since Johnson was called away. His replacement should be reporting to Mobius within the week, sir.”

From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed

Related Words

• reinstatement
• restoration
• stand-in