substitute

[ suhb-sti-toot, -tyoot ]

/ ˈsʌb stɪˌtut, -ˌtyut /

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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.

OTHER WORDS FOR substitute

1 alternative, replacement, equivalent.

See synonyms for substitute on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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 FROM substitute

sub·sti·tut·a·ble, adjectivesub·sti·tut·a·bil·i·ty, nounsub·sti·tut·er, nounsub·sti·tut·ing·ly, adverb

sub·sti·tu·tion, nounsub·sti·tu·tion·al, sub·sti·tu·tion·ar·y

[suhb-sti-too-shuh-ner-ee, -tyoo-], /ˌsʌb stɪˈtu ʃəˌnɛr i, -ˈtyu-/, adjectivesub·sti·tu·tion·al·ly, adverbin·ter·sub·sti·tut·a·bil·i·ty, nounin·ter·sub·sti·tut·a·ble, adjectivein·ter·sub·sti·tu·tion, nounnon·sub·sti·tut·ed, adjectivenon·sub·sti·tu·tion, nounnon·sub·sti·tu·tion·al, adjectivenon·sub·sti·tu·tion·al·ly, adverbnon·sub·sti·tu·tion·ar·y, adjectivepre·sub·sti·tute, verb (used with object), pre·sub·sti·tut·ed, pre·sub·sti·tut·ing.pre·sub·sti·tu·tion, nounpro·sub·sti·tu·tion, adjectiveun·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

Hydrogen-powered cars, trucks and factories have been hyped for years as clean substitutes to their forebears that run on dirty fossil fuels.
The hydrogen economy: Hyped for years, the most abundant element in the universe is finally having its moment|kdunn6|November 19, 2020|Fortune
The issue is that quite a few homeowners substituted their own screws for the ones included in the package—and longer screws may reach places inside the Ring device that they shouldn't, causing a short-circuit that can lead to overheating or fire.
Improperly installed Ring doorbells are catching on fire|Jim Salter|November 11, 2020|Ars Technica
As digital devices have taken over society, “keyboard activity is now often recommended as a substitute for early handwriting,” a new study notes.
Handwriting beats typing when it comes to taking class notes|Diane Lincoln|November 11, 2020|Science News For Students
McDonald’s made waves this morning when it announced its new McPlant, and the company’s statement, which said that the new plant-based patty and chicken substitute formulation was made in-house, caused Beyond Meat shares to slide.
Beyond Meat shares rise on news that it collaborated with McDonald’s on the McPlant options|Jonathan Shieber|November 9, 2020|TechCrunch

If the plan is to use substitutes, he worries they will not be properly trained or equipped, and every day counts with this year’s modified schedule.
‘One More Hugely Disruptive Thing’: Teachers to Leave Mid-Year Under Retirement Deal|Ashly McGlone|November 5, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Evidently here is the notion of a substitutionary offering, although the reason given is not the true reason.
Bible Studies|Joseph M. Wheeler
I could not be disrated, as I was only a cabin-boy, but a substitutionary penalty was invoked against me.
Windjammers and Sea Tramps|Walter Runciman
It was substitutionary; the victim stood in place of the offerer.
Two Old Faiths|J. Murray Mitchell and William Muir

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

Derived forms of substitute

substitutable, adjectivesubstitutability, noun

Word Origin for 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

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

substitute

OTHER WORDS FOR substitute

Origin of substitute

OTHER WORDS FROM substitute

Words related to substitute

How to use substitute in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for substitute

Derived forms of substitute

Word Origin for substitute

usage for substitute