Library / English Dictionary

SUBSTITUTE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person or thing that takes or can take the place of another

Synonyms:

replacement; substitute

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("substitute" is a kind of...):

equivalent (a person or thing equal to another in value or measure or force or effect or significance etc)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "substitute"):

ersatz (an artificial or inferior substitute or imitation)

successor (a thing or person that immediately replaces something or someone)

succedaneum ((medicine) something that can be used as a substitute (especially any medicine that may be taken in place of another))

Derivation:

substitute (put in the place of another; switch seemingly equivalent items)

substitute (be a substitute)

substitute (serving or used in place of another)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult)

Example:

we need extra employees for summer fill-ins

Synonyms:

backup; backup man; fill-in; relief; reliever; stand-in; substitute

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("substitute" is a kind of...):

compeer; equal; match; peer (a person who is of equal standing with another in a group)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "substitute"):

locum; locum tenens (someone (physician or clergyman) who substitutes temporarily for another member of the same profession)

double; stunt man; stunt woman (a stand-in for movie stars to perform dangerous stunts)

alternate; replacement; surrogate (someone who takes the place of another person)

Derivation:

substitute (be a substitute)

substitute (act as a substitute)

substitute (serving or used in place of another)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An athlete who plays only when a starter on the team is replaced

Synonyms:

reserve; second-stringer; substitute

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("substitute" is a kind of...):

athlete; jock (a person trained to compete in sports)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "substitute"):

bench warmer ((sports) a substitute who seldom plays)

pinch hitter ((baseball) a substitute for the regular batter)

Holonyms ("substitute" is a member of...):

bench (the reserve players on a team)

Derivation:

substitute (be a substitute)

substitute (act as a substitute)

substitute (capable of substituting in any of several positions on a team)

 II. (adjective) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Artificial and inferior

Example:

substitute coffee

Synonyms:

ersatz; substitute

Classified under:

Adjectives

Similar:

artificial; unreal (contrived by art rather than nature)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Serving or used in place of another

Example:

an alternative plan

Synonyms:

alternate; alternative; substitute

Classified under:

Adjectives

Similar:

secondary (being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate)

Derivation:

substitute (a person or thing that takes or can take the place of another)

substitute (someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Capable of substituting in any of several positions on a team

Example:

a utility infielder

Synonyms:

substitute; utility

Classified under:

Adjectives

Similar:

secondary (being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate)

Derivation:

substitute (an athlete who plays only when a starter on the team is replaced)

 III. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Put in the place of another; switch seemingly equivalent items

Example:

synonyms can be interchanged without a changing the context's meaning

Synonyms:

exchange; interchange; replace; substitute

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "substitute" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "substitute"):

shift (move and exchange for another)

reduce (simplify the form of a mathematical equation of expression by substituting one term for another)

truncate (replace a corner by a plane)

retool (provide (a workshop or factory) with new tools)

subrogate (substitute one creditor for another, as in the case where an insurance company sues the person who caused an accident for the insured)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP
Somebody ----s something with something

Derivation:

substitution (an event in which one thing is substituted for another)

substitution (the act of putting one thing or person in the place of another:)

substitute (a person or thing that takes or can take the place of another)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be a substitute

Example:

The skim milk substitutes for cream--we are on a strict diet

Synonyms:

fill in; stand in; sub; substitute

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "substitute" is one way to...):

change; exchange; interchange (give to, and receive from, one another)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

substitute (a person or thing that takes or can take the place of another)

substitute (someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult))

substitute (an athlete who plays only when a starter on the team is replaced)

substituting (working as a substitute for someone who is ill or on leave of absence)

substitution (an event in which one thing is substituted for another)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Act as a substitute

Example:

She stood in for the soprano who suffered from a cold

Synonyms:

deputise; deputize; step in; substitute

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "substitute" is one way to...):

replace; supersede; supervene upon; supplant (take the place or move into the position of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "substitute"):

cover (help out by taking someone's place and temporarily assuming his responsibilities)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

substitute (someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult))

substitute (an athlete who plays only when a starter on the team is replaced)

substituting (working as a substitute for someone who is ill or on leave of absence)

Credits

 Context examples: 

NOTE(S): The local variable name is used in the DefinedSubstanceAdministration.dose.EXPR<PQ> and will ultimately be substituted with the result of the observation to which the DefinedExpressionVariableRelationship points.

(Defined Expression Variable Relationship Local Variable Name, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

I can substitute some other plans.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

They are also called sugar substitutes.

(Artificial Sweetener, NCI Thesaurus)

I leave an excellent substitute in my daughter.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

It might refer to a temporal or sequential relationship, or indicate the possibility of performing a particular type of activity as a substitute for another one.

(Clinical Study Activity Relationship, NCI Thesaurus)

A substituted phenylaminoethanol and a long-acting beta-2 adrenergic agonist with sympathomimetic activity.

(Clenbuterol, NCI Thesaurus)

In a few months, it is possible, the happiness of seeing progress, and a change for the better in my scholars may substitute gratification for disgust.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Thus, sweeteners may substitute sugar because they mimic its sweet taste but have a negligible impact on daily energy intake and are frequently sweeter than sucrose.

(Not enough scientific evidence linking noncaloric sweeteners with adverse effects on gut microbiota, University of Granada)

Scientists improved performance by substituting cobalt oxide with vanadium disulfide (VS2).

(Creating Better Lithium-Ion Batteries Made Possible with New Discovery, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The most elaborate charts would, as you will readily admit, be a poor substitute for my own intelligence and advice.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)