From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsubstitutesub‧sti‧tute1 /ˈsʌbstɪtjuːt $ -tuːt/ ●●○ AWL noun [countable] 1 (also sub informal)REPLACE someone who does someone else’s job for a limited period of time, especially in a sports team or school Germany brought on a substitute at half time. substitute goalkeepersubstitute for The coach has to find a substitute for Tim.2 REPLACEa person or thing that you use instead of the one that you usually have, because the usual one is not available a sugar substitute a father substitute3 → be no substitute for something
Examples from the Corpus
substitute• Today we had a substitute in history class.• Ask how the agency screens employees and monitors workers, and if there are substitutes when needed.• Ten minutes into the second half Davies was brought on as substitute for Ward.• Writing is downgraded as if it is a clumsy substitute for more efficient means of preserving data and the findings or conclusions.• Gina Smouse notes that by using low-fat evaporated milk and egg substitute, the fat content of the pudding will be lower.• Egg substitutes cost 20 to 50 percent more than eggs.• He had heard of girls marrying a father substitute, but he had not met one before.• If Marsh has not fully recovered, his likely substitute will be Robinson.• But they are no substitute for action by governments.• Switching to protein substitutes, like soy, could cost millions, but Kessler believes it is worth it.substitute for• She often substitutes for absent teachers in their Spanish classes.• Chewing tobacco is not a safe substitute for smoking cigarettes.substitutesubstitute2 ●●○ AWL verb 1 [transitive]REPLACE to use something new or different instead of something elsesubstitute something for something The recipe says you can substitute yoghurt for the sour cream.2 [intransitive]REPLACE to do someone’s job until the person who usually does it is able to do it again SYN stand insubstitute for Bill substituted for Larry, who was off sick.3 [transitive] to replace someone with another person, especially another player Michael Owen had to be substituted after 20 minutes on the field.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
substitute• If plums are difficult to find, figs can be substituted.• Parliament itself could substitute an act for an earlier one.• Angry Jemson suffered the embarrassment of coming on as substitute and then being substituted himself at Carrow Road.• This may undermine public service and professional values, substituting commercial ones.• So movement neither substitutes for spatial information nor disrupts it.• You can substitute margarine for butter in this recipe.• The conductor deserved plaudits for substituting the Kodaly dances for an originally slated Mendelssohn overture.• Eventually money becomes worthless, and people are forced to barter or substitute with other sorts of currencies, like cigarettes.From Longman Business Dictionarysubstitutesub‧sti‧tute1 /ˈsʌbstətjuːt-tuːt/ noun [countable]1something new or different that can be used instead of something elseSugar substitutes are used by the soft drinks industry.substitute forTraining is important but it is no substitute for (=cannot take the place of) experience.2HUMAN RESOURCESJOBsomeone who does someone else’s job for a limited period of timeWe need to find a substitute while she is sick. —substitute adjective [only before a noun]Plastic is sometimes used as a substitute material.a substitute driversubstitutesubstitute2 verb1[transitive] to use or do something new or different instead of something elsesubstitute something for/with somethingCorporations have been able to avoid some tax by substituting debt for equity.Byproducts are reduced if a different bleaching agent is substituted for pure chlorine.2[transitive] to be used or done instead of something elsesubstitute forSynthetic fuels are liquids or gases which may be substituted for oil products or natural gas.3[intransitive]HUMAN RESOURCES to do someone’s job until the person who usually does it is able to do it againsubstitute forBill substituted for Larry who was off sick.→ See Verb tableOrigin substitute1 (1400-1500) Latin past participle of substituere “to put in place of”, from statuere; → STATUTE 