substitute

[ suhb-sti-toot, -tyoot ]

See synonyms for: substitute substituted substitutes on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person or thing acting or serving in place of another.
(formerly) a person who, for payment, served in an army or navy in the place of a conscript.

Grammar. a word that functions as a replacement for any member of a class of words or constructions, as do in He doesn't know but I do.

verb (used with object),sub·sti·tut·ed, sub·sti·tut·ing.

to put (a person or thing) in the place of another.
to take the place of; replace.

Chemistry. to replace (one or more elements or groups in a compound) by other elements or groups.

verb (used without object),sub·sti·tut·ed, sub·sti·tut·ing.

to act as a substitute.

adjective

of or relating to a substitute or substitutes.
composed of substitutes.

Origin of substitute

1350–1400; Middle English <Latin substitūtus (past participle of substituere to put in place of), equivalent to sub-sub- + -stitū-, combining form of statū-, past participle stem of statuere (see substituent) + -tus past participle suffix

Other words for substitute

1	alternative, replacement, equivalent

See synonyms for substitute on Thesaurus.com

Other words from substitute

sub·sti·tut·a·ble, adjective
sub·sti·tut·a·bil·i·ty, noun
sub·sti·tut·er, noun
sub·sti·tut·ing·ly, adverb
sub·sti·tu·tion, noun
sub·sti·tu·tion·al, sub·sti·tu·tion·ar·y [suhb-sti-too-shuh-ner-ee, -tyoo-], /ˌsʌb stɪˈtu ʃəˌnɛr i, -ˈtyu-/, adjective
sub·sti·tu·tion·al·ly, adverb
in·ter·sub·sti·tut·a·bil·i·ty, noun
in·ter·sub·sti·tut·a·ble, adjective
in·ter·sub·sti·tu·tion, noun
non·sub·sti·tut·ed, adjective
non·sub·sti·tu·tion, noun
non·sub·sti·tu·tion·al, adjective
non·sub·sti·tu·tion·al·ly, adverb
non·sub·sti·tu·tion·ar·y, adjective
pre·sub·sti·tute, verb (used with object), pre·sub·sti·tut·ed, pre·sub·sti·tut·ing.
pre·sub·sti·tu·tion, noun
pro·sub·sti·tu·tion, adjective
un·sub·sti·tut·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use substitute in a sentence

In some respects, the substitute celebrations are just one more adaptation media companies have had to make this year.
Care packages replace canapés as Coronavirus cancels media holiday party extravagances | Max Willens | November 30, 2020 | Digiday
Congress should also prohibit nonbanks from offering short-term financial instruments that function as deposit substitutes.
Why it would be a huge mistake to allow Big Tech firms to acquire banks | jakemeth | November 26, 2020 | Fortune
Rather, the decision is being fueled by a lack of teachers and substitute teachers able to teach in-person classes and concerns about the escalation of coronavirus cases in Vista and regionwide.
North County Report: Some Vista Schools to Close for Rest of Semester | Kayla Jimenez | November 25, 2020 | Voice of San Diego
Any time you can substitute a visual element to explain a concept rather than adding a thousand words of unnecessary text, it can go a long way in connecting with visitors.
Five quick SEO wins to give your website a boost in search | Anthony Gaenzle | November 23, 2020 | Search Engine Watch
If you’re using them as an onion substitute, you’ll want to cook only briefly and consider slicing them larger than you normally would.
Onions, shallots, scallions and leeks are mostly interchangeable in recipes. Here’s how to use what you have. | Becky Krystal | November 23, 2020 | Washington Post

The hypothesis of substitutional symmetry is thus completely confirmed.
Harvard Psychological Studies, Volume 1 | Various
The elements, in substitutional symmetry, are then simply means of introducing variety and action.
Harvard Psychological Studies, Volume 1 | Various
Of great importance is the substitutional adequacy of images.
Criminal Psychology | Hans Gross

British Dictionary definitions for substitute

substitute

/ (ˈsʌbstɪˌtjuːt) /

verb

(often foll by for) to serve or cause to serve in place of another person or thing
chem to replace (an atom or group in a molecule) with (another atom or group)

logic maths to replace (one expression) by (another) in the context of a third, as replacing x + y for x in 3 x = k gives 3 x + 3 y = k

noun

- a person or thing that serves in place of another, such as a player in a game who takes the place of an injured colleague
- (as modifier): a substitute goalkeeper Often shortened to: sub
grammar another name for pro-form

Canadian another name for supply teacher
nautical another word for repeater (def. 5)
(formerly) a person paid to replace another due for military service

Origin of substitute

C16: from Latin substituere, from sub- in place of + statuere to set up

usage For substitute

Substitute is sometimes wrongly used where replace is meant: he replaced (not substituted) the worn tyre with a new one

Derived forms of substitute

substitutable, adjective
substitutability, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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