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Vary vs Alternate - What's the difference?

vary | alternate |

In transitive terms the difference between vary and alternate

is that vary is to make of different kinds; to make different from one another; to diversity; to variegate while alternate is to perform by turns, or in succession; to cause to succeed by turns; to interchange regularly.

In intransitive terms the difference between vary and alternate

is that vary is to be or act different from the usual while alternate is to vary by turns.

As an adjective alternate is

being or succeeding by turns; one following the other in succession of time or place; by turns first one and then the other; hence, reciprocal.

vary

English

Verb

(en-verb)
  • To change with time or a similar parameter.
    • He varies his magic tricks so as to minimize the possibility that any given audience member will see the same trick twice.
  • To institute a change in, from a current state; to modify.
    • You should vary your diet. Eating just bread will do you harm in the end.
  • * Waller
    • Gods, that never change their state, / Vary oft their love and hate.
  • * Dryden
    • We are to vary the customs according to the time and country where the scene of action lies.
  • Not to remain constant: to change with time or a similar parameter.
    • His mood varies by the hour.
    The sine function varies between &
  • x2212;1 and 1.
  • * Addison
    • While fear and anger, with alternate grace, / Pant in her breast, and vary in her face.
  • (of the members of a group) To display differences.
    • ''The sprouting tendency of potatoes varies between cultivars, years and places of growing.
  • To be or act different from the usual.
    • I'm not comfortable with 3.Nc3 in the Caro-Kann, so I decided to vary and play exd5.
  • To make of different kinds; to make different from one another; to diversity; to variegate.
  • * Sir Thomas Browne
    • God hath varied their inclinations.
  • * Milton
    • God hath here / Varied his bounty so with new delights.
  • (music) To embellish; to change fancifully; to present under new aspects, as of form, key, measure, etc. See variation .
  • (obsolete) To disagree; to be at variance or in dissension.
  • * Webster (1623)
    • the rich jewel which we vary for

    Noun

    (-)
  • (obsolete) Alteration; change.
    • (Shakespeare)

    Related terms

    * variability * variable * variance * variant * variation * varied * variety * various

    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    alternate

    English

    (Webster 1913)

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Being or succeeding by turns; one following the other in succession of time or place; by turns first one and then the other; hence, reciprocal.
    • And bid alternate passions fall and rise . -
  • (mathematics) Designating the members in a series, which regularly intervene between the members of another series, as the odd or even numbers of the numerals; every other; every second.
    • the alternate members 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.
  • (US) Other; alternative.
    • Hyperlinked text is displayed in alternate color in a Web browser.
  • (botany) Distributed, as leaves, singly at different heights of the stem, and at equal intervals as respects angular divergence.
    • (Gray)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • That which alternates with something else; vicissitude.
  • * Matthew Prior
    • Grateful alternates of substantial.
  • (US) A substitute; an alternative; one designated to take the place of another, if necessary, in performing some duty.
  • (mathematics) A proportion derived from another proportion by interchanging the means.
  • (US) A replacement of equal or greater value or function.
  • (heraldry) Figures or tinctures that succeed each other by turns.

    • Verb

    (alternat)
  • To perform by turns, or in succession; to cause to succeed by turns; to interchange regularly.
  • * Grew
    • The most high God, in all things appertaining unto this life, for sundry wise ends alternates the disposition of good and evil.
  • To happen, succeed, or act by turns; to follow reciprocally in place or time; followed by with .
    • The flood and ebb tides alternate with each other.
  • To vary by turns.
    • ''The land alternates between rocky hills and sandy plains.

    Derived terms

    * alternate allegation * alternate angles * alternate generation * alternately * alternation

    See also

    * alternative * variant

    External links

    * * * * * alternate in The Online Etymology Dictionary English heteronyms ----