Substitute vs. Equivalent: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 29, 2023
Substitute is something or someone acting in place of another. Equivalent is different but having the same function, value, or effect.
Key Differences
A substitute is something or someone that temporarily takes the place of another. An equivalent, however, is something that, while different, serves the same purpose or has the same value or function.
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Dec 29, 2023
In cooking, a substitute is an ingredient used in place of another when the original is unavailable, while an equivalent in this context would be an ingredient that can achieve the same taste or texture, though it might be entirely different.
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Dec 29, 2023
In mathematics, a substitute variable might be used in place of another for simplification, whereas an equivalent in mathematics refers to two expressions that yield the same value.
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Dec 29, 2023
Substitutes are often seen as temporary or interim solutions, like a substitute teacher. Equivalents, on the other hand, are considered permanent in the sense that they always hold the same value or function as what they're compared to.
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Dec 29, 2023
Substitutes might be perceived as lesser or a second choice to the original, while equivalents are often seen as equal in value or function, just different in form or appearance.
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Dec 29, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Acts in place of another
Different but same in function, value, or effect
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Example in Cooking
Ingredient used when another is unavailable
Ingredient providing the same taste or texture
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Role in Mathematics
Variable used for simplification
Expressions yielding the same value
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Perception and Value
Often seen as a lesser or second choice
Seen as equal in value, just different in form
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Substitute and Equivalent Definitions
Substitute
An alternative product used in place of another.
The store offered a generic brand as a substitute for the name-brand medication.
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Equivalent
Two expressions that yield the same result.
2(3+4) and 14 are mathematical equivalents.
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Substitute
A person or thing acting in place of another.
She was a substitute teacher for the day.
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Equivalent
A job or role equal in status or function to another.
Her new job was equivalent to the position she held previously.
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Substitute
An alternative ingredient used when the original is not available.
Applesauce was used as a substitute for oil in the cake recipe.
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Equivalent
Having the same worth or significance.
The two pieces of artwork were of equivalent value.
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Substitute
An alternate method used to achieve the same result.
He found a substitute method for solving the math problem.
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Substitute
One that takes the place of another
Finding substitutes for coal.
Came in as a substitute at the end of the game.
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Substitute
(Grammar) A word or construction used in place of another word, phrase, or clause.
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Equivalent
Being essentially equal, all things considered
A wish that was equivalent to a command.
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Substitute
To put or use (a person or thing) in place of another
Substituted plastic for steel to reduce the weight.
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Equivalent
Capable of being put into a one-to-one relationship. Used of two sets.
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Substitute
Usage Problem To replace
Substituted the worn-out couch with a new one.
Original artworks that were substituted by fakes.
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Substitute
To take the place of another
"Only art can substitute for nature" (Leonard Bernstein).
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Equivalent
Of or relating to corresponding elements under an equivalence relation.
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Substitute
(transitive) To use in place of something else, with the same function.
I had no shallots so I substituted onion.
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Substitute
To use X in place of Y.
I had to substitute new parts for the old ones.
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Substitute
To use Y in place of X; to replace X with Y.
I had to substitute old parts with the new ones.
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Equivalent
Something that is essentially equal to another
"The hand is not the biological equivalent of a hammer or a screwdriver.
The hand is a multipurpose tool like a Swiss Army knife" (Jonathan Gottschall).
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Substitute
To remove (a player) from the field of play and bring on another in his place.
He was playing poorly and was substituted after twenty minutes
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Substitute
(intransitive) To serve as a replacement (for someone or something).
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Equivalent
Similar or identical in value, meaning or effect; virtually equal.
To burn calories, a thirty-minute jog is equivalent to a couple of hamburgers.
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Substitute
A replacement or stand-in for something that achieves a similar result or purpose.
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Substitute
(sports) A player who is available to replace another if the need arises, and who may or may not actually do so.
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Equivalent
(mathematics) Relating to the corresponding elements of an equivalence relation.
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Substitute
(historical) One who enlists for military service in the place of a conscript.
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Substitute
One who, or that which, is substituted or put in the place of another; one who acts for another; that which stands in lieu of something else
Hast thou not made me here thy substitute?
Ladies [in Shakespeare's age] . . . wore masks as the sole substitute known to our ancestors for the modern parasol.
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Equivalent
(geometry) Equal in measure but not admitting of superposition; applied to magnitudes.
A square may be equivalent to a triangle.
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Substitute
To put in the place of another person or thing; to exchange.
Some few verses are inserted or substituted in the room of others.
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Equivalent
Anything that is virtually equal to something else, or has the same value, force, etc.
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Substitute
An athlete who plays only when another member of the team drops out
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Substitute
Someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult);
The star had a stand-in for dangerous scenes
We need extra employees for summer fill-ins
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Equivalent
Equal in worth or value, force, power, effect, import, and the like; alike in significance and value; of the same import or meaning.
For now to serve and to minister, servile and ministerial, are terms equivalent.
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Substitute
Put in the place of another; switch seemingly equivalent items;
The con artist replaced the original with a fake Rembrandt
Substitute regular milk with fat-free milk
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Equivalent
Equal in measure but not admitting of superposition; - applied to magnitudes; as, a square may be equivalent to a triangle.
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Substitute
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
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Equivalent
Contemporaneous in origin; as, the equivalent strata of different countries.
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Substitute
Act as a substitute;
She stood in for the soprano who suffered from a cold
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Equivalent
Something equivalent; that which is equal in value, worth, weight, or force; as, to offer an equivalent for damage done.
He owned that, if the Test Act were repealed, the Protestants were entitled to some equivalent. . . . During some weeks the word equivalent, then lately imported from France, was in the mouths of all the coffeehouse orators.
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Substitute
Being a replacement or substitute for a regular member of a team
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Equivalent
That comparative quantity by weight of an element which possesses the same chemical value as other elements, as determined by actual experiment and reference to the same standard. Specifically: (a) The comparative proportions by which one element replaces another in any particular compound; thus, as zinc replaces hydrogen in hydrochloric acid, their equivalents are 32.5 and 1. (b) The combining proportion by weight of a substance, or the number expressing this proportion, in any particular compound; as, the equivalents of hydrogen and oxygen in water are respectively 1 and 8, and in hydric dioxide 1 and 16.
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Substitute
Capable of substituting in any of several positions on a team;
A utility infielder
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Equivalent
A combining unit, whether an atom, a radical, or a molecule; as, in acid salt two or more equivalents of acid unite with one or more equivalents of base.
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Substitute
A player who replaces another in a game.
The coach brought in a substitute in the second half of the match.
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Equivalent
A person or thing equal to another in value or measure or force or effect or significance etc;
Send two dollars or the equivalent in stamps
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Equivalent
The atomic weight of an element that has the same combining capacity as a given weight of another element; the standard is 8 for oxygen
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Equivalent
Equal in amount or value;
Like amounts
Equivalent amounts
The same amount
Gave one six blows and the other a like number
An equal number
The same number
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Equivalent
Being essentially equal to something;
It was as good as gold
A wish that was equivalent to a command
His statement was tantamount to an admission of guilt
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Equivalent
Two things equal in value, function, or meaning.
The phrase bon appétit is the French equivalent of enjoy your meal.
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Equivalent
Something in one culture that has a counterpart in another.
The concept of hygge in Danish culture has no direct equivalent in English.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
What is a substitute?
Something or someone that takes the place of another.
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What does equivalent mean?
Different in form but equal in function, value, or effect.
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Are generic drugs substitutes or equivalents?
substitutes for brand names and equivalents in effect.
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Can a substitute be permanent?
Usually, substitutes are temporary, but they can become permanent in some cases.
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Are equivalents always identical?
No, equivalents are not identical but are equal in value or function.
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Can two things be equivalent in different contexts?
Yes, equivalence can vary depending on context.
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When should I use "substitute" vs. "replace"?
Use "substitute" when you want to indicate a temporary or alternative option. Use "replace" when you mean a permanent substitution.
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Dec 29, 2023
Is "substitute" a noun or a verb?
"Substitute" can be both a noun and a verb, depending on its usage.
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What is an example of an equivalent in math?
Two expressions that simplify to the same value.
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How do you find a substitute in cooking?
By finding an ingredient that can mimic the function of the original.
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Can you provide an example of using "equivalent" in a sentence?
Certainly, "Five dollars is equivalent to twenty quarters."
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What is the difference between "equal" and "equivalent"?
"Equal" means exactly the same, while "equivalent" means similar or having the same value or effect.
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Dec 29, 2023
Is a substitute always a second choice?
Often, but not necessarily; it depends on context.
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What is a synonym for "substitute"?
Synonyms for "substitute" include replacement, alternative, and stand-in.
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What is the concept of "equivalence" in chemistry?
In chemistry, equivalence relates to the equal number of moles of substances involved in a chemical reaction.
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What is a common use of substitutes in economics?
In economics, substitutes are goods or services that can replace each other, like Coke and Pepsi.
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Dec 29, 2023
Can you provide an example of using "substitute" in a sentence?
Sure, "I didn't have any milk, so I used water as a substitute in my cereal."
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Dec 29, 2023
Is "equivalent" always used for comparing quantities?
No, "equivalent" can also be used to compare qualities, such as equivalent meanings or effects.
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What does "substitution effect" mean in economics?
The substitution effect refers to the change in consumption that occurs when consumers switch to a cheaper substitute due to a price increase.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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