# alternate vs alternative

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### alternate
*adjective · IPA /ɔlʈə(r).neʈ/ · frequency rank #5,932*
Happening by turns; one following the other in succession of time or place; first one and then the other (repeatedly).

### alternative
*adjective · IPA /ɒlˈtɜː.nə.tɪv/ · frequency rank #1,981*
Relating to a choice between two or more possibilities.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alternate-vs-alternative