alternative
Different available choice
An alternative is an additional choice.
Alternative is closely related to alternate and like it, can be a noun or an adjective (but not a verb).
As an adjective it has the same core meanings as alternate: After the flood everyone needed alternative means of transportation. Do we have an alternative in mind if the weather is too hot?
A derived use alternative characterizes something that is not mainstream or conventional: Many diseases respond well to therapies using alternative medicine. The story was ignored by the networks but covered in the alternative press.
What takes another's place
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
- fallbackAlternative if primary fails
- contingencyUncertain possible event
- surrogateOne acting for another
proxy · stand-in · reserve · fill-in · stopgap · spare · equivalent · counterpart
Available course of action
- selectionChosen item or items
- preferenceFavored choice among alternatives
- decisionSettled course of action
- pickPointed breaking tool
dilemma · crossroads · fork · judgment · discretion · deliberation · consideration · contemplation
Departing from standard practice
- unorthodoxContrary to accepted practice
- offbeatPleasantly strange or unusual
- avant-gardeInnovative cultural pioneers
- experimentalTesting new methods
progressive · radical · bohemian · indie · fringe · counter-culture · rebellious · quirky
Act of selecting
- rangeExtent of variation
- arrayOrdered collection or display
- selectionChosen item or items
- spectrumContinuous range of values
diversity · assortment · options · multiplicity · possibilities · medley · mixture · smorgasbord
Makeshift bypass of difficulty
- technicalityPrecise procedural point
- escapeFlight from captivity
- outNot present here
- dodgeAvoid by quick movement
excuse · exemption · exception · gap · opening · outlet · window · recourse
Alternate path around obstruction
- bypassRoute that skirts obstacles
- diversionRedirection of attention
- shortcutQuicker alternative path
- backroadMinor rural thoroughfare
byway · workaround · path · roundabout · backstreet · trail · lane
replacement
What takes another's place
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
- fallbackAlternative if primary fails
- contingencyUncertain possible event
surrogate · proxy · stand-in · reserve · fill-in · stopgap · spare · equivalent · counterpart · analogue
option
Available course of action
- selectionChosen item or items
- preferenceFavored choice among alternatives
- decisionSettled course of action
pick · dilemma · crossroads · fork · judgment · discretion · deliberation · consideration · contemplation · volition
unconventional
Departing from standard practice
- unorthodoxContrary to accepted practice
- offbeatPleasantly strange or unusual
- avant-gardeInnovative cultural pioneers
experimental · progressive · radical · bohemian · indie · fringe · counter-culture · rebellious · quirky · eccentric
choice
Act of selecting
spectrum · diversity · assortment · options · multiplicity · possibilities · medley · mixture · smorgasbord · menu
workaround
Makeshift bypass of difficulty
- technicalityPrecise procedural point
- escapeFlight from captivity
- outNot present here
dodge · excuse · exemption · exception · gap · opening · outlet · window · recourse · way-out
detour
Alternate path around obstruction
backroad · byway · workaround · path · roundabout · backstreet · trail · lane
- genresaction, comedy, detective fiction, fantasy, horror
- music genresblues, pop, jazz, rock, classical
- strategystrategy, grand strategy, tactics, tactic, tactical
- crossroadscrossroads, fork in the road, fork in road, junction, juncture
- solutionssolution, answer, fix, remedy, cure
- underground cultureindie, punk, goth, grunge, underground
alternativeconventional
Following accepted practices
mainstream · traditional · orthodox · standard · establishment
alternativenecessity
Indispensable requirement
compulsion · obligation · coercion · force · duress
- no alternativeSole available course
- alternative routeSecondary path available
- alternative universeHypothetical divergent reality
- alternative rockNon-mainstream guitar-driven genre
- alternating currentPeriodically reversing electrical flow
- alternative energyNon-fossil fuel sources
alternating, alternatives, alternatively, alternation, alternations, alternative fuels, alternative energy, alternative fuel