substitute

/ˈsʌbstɪtjuːt/ verb

Definition

› [T] to use something different or new instead of another thing: substitute sth for sth Industry must reduce fuel consumption by substituting alternative fuels for fossil fuels.substitute sth with sth It takes time to substitute local brands with your own brand names.

substitute for sb [I] › WORKPLACE to take the place of another person or do their job for a period of time: She was asked to substitute for the absent committee chairman.

substitute for sth [I] › to do the same job as another thing or take its place: The government expects natural gas to substitute for oil exports in the future. Many dot.com companies have learnt that technology can never substitute for customer service.

(Definition of substitute verb from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Focus on the pronunciation of substitute