Meaning & use
alternately
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Meaning
adverbnot comparable
In turns, with one thing following another and then returning, again and again.
Grammar: Describes repeated switching, not a new option: they alternately laughed and cried.
Patterns
- alternately X and Y
- alternately do X then Y
The weather was alternately sunny and rainy all week.
She felt alternately hopeful and afraid before the results came.
Add the flour and milk alternately, stirring between each.
Common combinations
- alternately hot and cold
- The room was alternately hot and cold all night.
- alternately laughing and crying
- She was alternately laughing and crying at the wedding.
- alternately spoke
- The two presenters alternately spoke for ten minutes each.
- alternately layered
- The cake was alternately layered with cream and jam.
- alternately fast and slow
- He ran alternately fast and slow to build stamina.
- alternately raising and lowering
- She exercised by alternately raising and lowering her arms.
Synonyms and how they differ
- in turn
- In turn can describe a sequence of different people, while alternately stresses repeated switching between two things.
- by turns
- By turns is slightly more literary and suits moods that swing back and forth.
- every other
- Every other describes picking every second item, not switching between two things in time.
- intermittently
- Intermittently means starting and stopping at intervals, but not necessarily switching between two states.
Opposites
Word family
- alternate verb
- to switch back and forth between two things
- alternate adjective
- happening every second time
- alternation noun
- the act of switching between things
- alternating adjective
- changing back and forth, as in alternating current
Commonly confused: alternately or alternatively?
alternately vs alternatively
Alternatively introduces another option: 'We could walk; alternatively, we could take the bus.' Alternately means switching back and forth.
Practice
Which word fits best? 'The traffic light turned ___ red and green.'
Choose one answer.
Alternately describes repeated switching between two states. 'Alternatively' is the tempting wrong choice because it introduces another option.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “alternately”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.