Replace
Replace verb - To take the place of.
Usage example: the old street lights were replaced by more energy-efficient models
Substitute is a synonym for replace in activity topic. In some cases you can use "Substitute" instead the word "Replace" as a verb or a noun, when it comes to topics like action, exchange, put in place of. popular alternative
Substitute
Substitute verb - To give up (something) and take something else in return.
Usage example: can I substitute coleslaw for potato salad if I order the chicken plate?
Replace is a synonym for substitute in action topic. You can use "Replace" instead a verb "Substitute", if it concerns topics such as interchange, exchange, take the place of. popular alternative
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
Common collocations
Both words in one sentence
- Hence the popular UK SF scene Light Bulb Joke: "How many Fanthorpe pseudonyms does it take to change a lightbulb, to replace it, to reinstate it, to substitute for it, to swap it, to exchange it, to renew it, to put another in its stead, to ..."
Source: Redundancy / Literature - He should have said "...substitute shorts for jeans", or "...substitute ["replace" would be better] jeans with shorts".
- If you've used up all your substitutions (or if you have no goalies to substitute in), a field player has to replace an injured or sent off goalie by taking his jersey and gloves.
Source: Useful Notes / Footy Rules
Cite this Source
Substitute and Replace. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/replace/substitute
Replace & Substitute. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/replace/substitute>.
Substitute or Replace. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/replace/substitute.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "replace" and "substitute" have occurred on timeline