What does substitute mean?
A substitute is a person or thing used in place of another. The term can refer to a stand-in speaker, an available replacement player, an alternative ingredient, or any similar replacement chosen because the original is unavailable, unsuitable, or unwanted. As a verb, substitute usually takes the construction “substitute A for B”: a cook might substitute honey for sugar, or a coach might substitute one player for another. As an adjective, it describes an alternative, as in “substitute teacher” or “substitute ingredient.” The word can carry the connotation of an inferior or merely temporary replacement, but this is not always so: substitute materials and alternatives are sometimes preferred for practical, economic, dietary, or ethical reasons. Its Latin origin, related to placing one thing beneath or in place of another, reflects the basic idea of replacement.
A person or thing used instead of another, especially a replacement or reserve.
"The substitute completed the shift after the regular worker fell ill."
In sport, the term commonly denotes a player available to replace another; more broadly, it can refer to any stand-in or alternative.
To use someone or something in place of another, especially in the construction “substitute A for B.”
"The recipe allows you to substitute almonds for walnuts."
The usual construction is “substitute A for B,” naming the replacement first and the item replaced second.
Serving as an alternative to something else.
"The teacher prepared substitute lessons for students taking the exam."
This use often appears in compounds such as “substitute teacher,” “substitute player,” and “substitute ingredient.”
The plural is used for people or things available to serve as replacements.
"The coach has three substitutes ready for the second half."
From the Latin for “placed underneath,” a substitute began as something set beneath another before becoming today’s stand-in.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does substitute come from?
The word comes from Latin substitutus, the past participle of substituere, meaning “to place under” or “to put in place of.” It entered English in the 16th century and was initially used especially for a person or thing placed in another’s stead. Its relatives constitute, institute, and prostitute descend from related forms built on the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How substitute is actually used
As a verb, it is normally followed by “for” when naming what is being replaced: “substitute one player for another.” The noun commonly denotes a reserve or stand-in, while the adjective often forms compounds such as “substitute teacher” and “substitute material.”
Easily confused with substitute
A substitution is the act or result of replacing something, while a substitute is the person or thing used in its place.
Replacing something removes it and puts another thing in its position, whereas substituting can also mean supplying an alternative while the original remains available.