alternately

2 synonyms for alternately, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adverb — Taking turns, one after the other in a repeating order.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

alternatively

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

alternatingly

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adverb

Taking turns, one after the other in a repeating order.

“The traffic lights turned red and green alternately.”

alternatingly

2. adverb chiefly North American, sometimes considered nonstandard

Alternatively, or as another option.

“You could book a hotel, or alternately, stay with friends.”

alternatively

How to use alternately

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

alternately hot and cold work alternately alternately light and dark

The turn-taking sense is standard everywhere, while the 'as another option' sense is more restricted and some readers consider it a mistake.

Etymology

Alternately is built from the adjective alternate with the adverb-forming suffix -ly attached to it.

Full origin of alternately →

Frequently asked questions

What does alternately mean?

It describes something happening in turns, one after the other, in a repeating pattern.

Is alternately the same as alternatively?

In careful usage they differ: alternately means in turns, while alternatively means as another option. In North American English alternately is sometimes used to mean alternatively, though this is regarded by some as nonstandard.

How is alternately used in a sentence?

It is placed before the description of the turn-taking pattern, as in 'the days were alternately sunny and wet'.

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