Meaning & use
substitute with
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Meaning
phrasetransitive
To use something new in place of the original thing.
Grammar: Takes an object after with: substitute the sugar with honey.
Patterns
- substitute something with something
- substitute A with B
You can substitute the butter with olive oil in this cake recipe.
The coach substituted the injured player with a fresh defender.
If you don't have cream, substitute it with full-fat milk.
Common combinations
- substitute with oil
- For a lighter dish, substitute the cream with oil.
- substitute with a fresh player
- The manager substituted the tired winger with a fresh player.
- substitute X with Y
- In this equation, substitute x with y.
Synonyms and how they differ
- replace with
- Replace with is more general and often suggests the old thing is gone permanently; substitute with focuses on the swap as an option.
- swap for
- Swap for is informal and implies an exchange; substitute with is neutral and common in instructions.
Word family
- substitute noun
- A person or thing that takes the place of another.
- substitution noun
- The act of using one thing instead of another.
Commonly confused: substitute with or substitute for?
substitute with vs substitute for
Substitute for means to act as a replacement: I substitute for the regular teacher. Substitute with means to replace one thing using another: substitute the teacher with a volunteer.
Practice
If you don't have any fresh basil, you can substitute it ___ dried oregano.
Choose one answer.
Use 'with' to name the replacement ingredient: substitute it with dried oregano. 'For' would mean it is acting as a replacement, not being replaced.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “substitute with”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.