substitute

1 of 2

noun

sub·​sti·​tute ˈsəb-stə-ˌtüt How to pronounce substitute (audio)
-ˌtyüt
Synonyms of substitute
: a person or thing that takes the place or function of another
substitute adjective

substitute

2 of 2

verb

substituted; substituting

transitive verb

1
a
: to put or use in the place of another
b
: to introduce (an atom or group) as a substituent
also : to alter (something, such as a compound) by introduction of a substituent
a substituted benzene ring
2
: to take the place of : replace

intransitive verb

: to serve as a substitute

Synonyms of substitute

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Noun

Verb

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Examples of substitute in a Sentence

Noun you'll be getting a substitute until your regular teacher is feeling better if you like, you can use nuts as a substitute for coconut in that recipe Verb One of our teachers is sick, so we need someone to substitute. They substituted real candles with electric ones.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Somehow, this all dovetails with the fact that Davis and Friend were themselves substitutes for Greta Lee and Andrew Scott, who were cast as the leads when the film was announced in 2024. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 Only Anthropic knows for sure how often users rely on Claude to generate substitutes for musicians’ songs, the lawsuit said. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
Verb
Corals grow their calcium carbonate skeletons by pulling calcium from the ocean water but can substitute the element strontium if needed. — Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026 Ajala, a prolific scorer for the academy, was on the cusp of his first hat-trick since a youth league fixture against Crystal Palace’s under-18 in May 2024 — but Nuno substituted him in the 59th minute for Manor Solomon. — Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for substitute

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French substitut, from Latin substitutus, past participle of substituere to put in place of, from sub- + statuere to set up, place — more at statute

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of substitute was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing substitute

Rhymes for substitute

See All Rhymes for substitute

Browse Nearby Words

substitutable
substitute
substitute broker
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Substitute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/substitute. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

substitute

1 of 2 noun
sub·​sti·​tute ˈsəb-stə-ˌt(y)üt How to pronounce substitute (audio)
: a person or thing that takes the place of another
substitute adjective

substitute

2 of 2 verb
substituted; substituting
1
: to put in the place of another : replace
2
: to serve as a substitute
substitution
ˌsəb-stə-ˈt(y)ü-shən
noun

Medical Definition

substitute

1 of 2 noun
sub·​sti·​tute ˈsəb-stə-ˌt(y)üt How to pronounce substitute (audio)
: a person or thing that takes the place or function of another
father and mother substitutes
substitute adjective

substitute

2 of 2 transitive verb
substituted; substituting
: to put or use in the place of another: as
a
: to introduce (an atom or group) as a substituent
b
: to alter (as a compound) by introduction of a substituent
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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