substitute

Meanings

• a person or thing that takes or can take the place of another
• an athlete who plays only when a starter on the team is replaced
• someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult)
• put in the place of another; switch seemingly equivalent items
  • "substitute regular milk with fat-free milk"
• be a substitute
  • "The young teacher had to substitute for the sick colleague"
  • "The skim milk substitutes for cream--we are on a strict diet"
• act as a substitute
• capable of substituting in any of several positions on a team
• serving or used in place of another
• artificial and inferior
  • "substitute coffee"

Synonyms

alternate, alternative, backup, backup man, deputise, deputize, ersatz, exchange, fill in, fill-in, interchange, relief, reliever, replace, replacement, reserve, second-stringer, stand in, stand-in, step in, sub, utility