Definition of alternative noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

alternative

noun

/ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪv/

/ɔːlˈtɜːrnətɪv/

a thing that you can choose to do or have out of two or more possibilities
- The car is too expensive so we're trying to find a cheaper alternative.
- There is a vegetarian alternative on the menu every day.
- We had no alternative but to fire Gibson.
- to offer/provide an alternative
- alternative to something Does this offer a viable alternative to the existing system?
- as an alternative to something Fruit juice is provided as an alternative to alcoholic drinks.
- alternative for somebody This treatment is the only alternative for some patients.
Synonyms option
optionchoice ▪ alternative ▪ possibilityThese are all words for something that you choose to do in a particular situation.
option something that you can choose to have or do; the freedom to choose what you do:
As I see it, we have two options…
Students have the option of studying abroad in their second year.
Option is also the word used in computing for one of the choices you can make when using a computer program: Choose the ‘Cut’ option from the Edit menu. choice the freedom to choose what you do; something that you can choose to have or do:
If I had the choice, I would stop working tomorrow.
There is a wide range of choices open to you.
alternative something that you can choose to have or do out of two or more possibilities:
You can be paid in cash weekly or by cheque monthly: those are the two alternatives.
option, choice or alternative?Choice is slightly less formal than option and alternative is slightly more formal. Choice is most often used for ‘the freedom to choose’, although you can sometimes also use option (but not usually alternative): If I had the choice/option, I would… • If I had the alternative, I would… • parental choice in education • parental option/alternative in education. Things that you can choose are options, choices or alternatives. However, alternative is more frequently used to talk about choosing between two things rather than several.
possibility one of the different things that you can do in a particular situation:
We need to explore a wide range of possibilities.
The possibilities are endless.
Possibility can be used in a similar way to option, choice and alternative, but the emphasis here is less on the need to make a choice, and more on what is available.
Patterns
- with/without the option/choice/possibility of something
- a(n) good/acceptable/reasonable/possible option/choice/alternative
- the only option/choice/alternative/possibility open to somebody
- to have a/an/the option/choice of doing something
- to have no option/choice/alternative but to do something
- a number/range of options/choices/alternatives/possibilities
Extra Examples
- His idea seemed to offer a possible alternative.
- Is there an alternative to surgery for this complaint?
- There is no alternative for those with no car of their own.
- They are seeking alternatives to fossil fuels.
- We'll have to find an alternative.
- a healthier alternative to fizzy drinks
- seeking alternatives to nuclear power
- We can agree to their terms or else pull out of the deal completely: those are the two alternatives.
Topics Preferences and decisionsa2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- attractive
- effective
- good
- …
verb + alternative
- have
- offer
- provide
- …
alternative + verb
- be available
- exist
preposition
- alternative for
- alternative to
phrases
- have little alternative (but to)
- have no alternative (but to)
- leave somebody with no alternative (but to)
- …
See full entry
Word Originmid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘alternating, alternate’): from French alternatif, -ive or medieval Latin alternativus, from Latin alternare ‘interchange’, from alternus ‘every other’, from alter ‘other’.

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See alternative in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee alternative in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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dizzy

adjective

From the Topic

Health problems

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