A person or thing that takes or can take the place of another.

synonym: replacement.

Roget 147: substitution, commutation; supplanting etc. v.; metaphor, metonymy etc. (figure of speech) 521.    [Thing substituted] substitute, ersatz, makeshift, temporary expedient, replacement, succedaneum; shift, pis aller [Fr.], stopgap, jury rigging, jury mast, locum tenens, warming pan, dummy, scapegoat; double; changeling; quid pro quo, alternative.    representative etc. (deputy) 759; palimpsest.    price, purchase money, consideration, equivalent.    ... show more

Roget 634: substitute etc. 147; deputy etc. 759; badli^†.   

Roget 759: deputy, substitute, vice, proxy, locum tenens, badli^†, delegate, representative, next friend, surrogate, secondary.    regent, viceregent^†, vizier, minister, vicar; premier etc. (director) 694; chancellor, prefect, provost, warden, lieutenant, archon, consul, proconsul; viceroy etc. (governor) 745; commissioner etc. 758; Tsung-li Yamen, Wai Wu Pu; plenipotentiary, alter ego.    team, eight, eleven; champion.    ... show more

Dutch: vervanger, remplaçant, substituut, surrogaat, vervangingsmiddel
Polish: zamiennik, substytut, zastępnik, wymiennik

An athlete who plays only when a starter on the team is replaced.

synonyms: reserve, second-stringer.

Dutch: bankspeler, bankzitter, reserve, reservespeler
Polish: rezerwowy

Someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult).

synonyms: backup, backup man, fill-in, relief, reliever, stand-in.

Dutch: vervanger

Put in the place of another; switch seemingly equivalent items:
— Substitute regular milk for fat-free milk.

synonyms: exchange, interchange, replace.

Roget 147: substitute, put in the place of, change for; make way for, give place to; supply the place of, take the place of; supplant, supersede, replace, cut out, serve as a substitute; step into stand in the shoes of; jury rig, make a shift with, put up with; borrow from Peter to pay Paul, take money out of one pocket and put it in take money out of one pocket and put it in another, cannibalize; commute, redeem, compound for.    ... show more

Roget 783: transfer, convey; alienate, alien; assign; grant etc. (confer) 784; consign; make over, hand over; pass, hand, transmit, negotiate; hand down; exchange etc. (interchange) 148.    change hands, change hands from one to another; devolve, succeed; come into possession etc. (acquire) 775.    abalienate^†; disinherit; dispossess etc. 789; substitute etc. 147.    ... show more

Dutch: vervangen

Be a substitute:
— The young teacher had to substitute for the sick colleague.
— The skim milk substitutes for cream--we are on a strict diet.

synonyms: fill in, stand in, sub.

Act as a substitute.

synonyms: deputise, deputize, step in.

Capable of substituting in any of several positions on a team.

synonym: utility.

Serving or used in place of another.

synonyms: alternate, alternative.

Polish: alternatywny

Artificial and inferior:
— Substitute coffee.

synonym: ersatz.