substitute for

substitute for (someone or something)

1. To act as a substitute for someone or something. I'm substituting for Eric for the next few days while he recovers in the hospital. Don't believe anyone who tries to convince you that low-fat cooking sprays can substitute for real butter or olive oil and not taste any different.
2. To use, employ, or instruct someone or something to act as a substitute for someone or something else. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "sub" and "for." With a healthy 30-point lead, the coach substituted the rookie for the star quarter back to give him some experience on the field. Let's try substituting an AC motor for the DC one we've been using and see if that improves the results.
See also: substitute
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

substitute someone for (someone else)

 and substitute something for something else
to exchange someone or something for someone or something else; to replace someone or something with someone or something else. Shall I substitute Fred for Mary in the front office? Please substitute fish for beef on my dinner order.
See also: substitute

substitute for someone or something

to serve as a replacement for someone or something. I have to substitute for Roger at work this weekend. Do you think that this will substitute for the one you wanted?
See also: substitute
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • substitute for (someone or something)
  • sub for
  • sub for (someone or something)
  • sub in (for someone or something)
  • swap in (for someone or something)
  • in place of
  • in place of (someone or something)
  • in place of somebody/something
  • replace (someone or something) with (someone or something)
  • replace by
References in periodicals archive
The agency maintained that breast milk remains to be the best food for babies up to two years and above and that there is no equal substitute for breast milk.
FDA: Goat's milk not a substitute for breastfeeding
Districts may prefer a certain substitute for a certain position because of the substitute's aptitude.
Searching for subs: advanced electronic substitute management systems make scheduling easier for teachers, substitutes and administrators
The lump sum W received served as a substitute for the ordinary income he would have otherwise received over a period of time.
Sale of lottery payments produces ordinary income
In the 1970s, the Department of Defense continued supporting the quest to develop free hemoglobin into a blood substitute for wounded troops.
Blood Relatives
Veggie-burgers run the gamut from those which truly substitute for the taste, texture and appearance of beef to patties whose only hamburger-like trait is the ability to fit nicely on a bun.
Not dogs anyone? Meatless market goes mainstream
Church, International Copper Assn., New York City, examined the potential of graphite-containing copper alloy composites for plumbing applications as a substitute for lead-containing copper alloys.
Material changes emerging
Yet, there are still some suppliers and users who argue that while cadmium-free alternatives can come close, there's just no substitute for cadmium colorants in certain applications and in certain resin systems.
Getting rid of cadmium. What's holding it up?
The Comelec last week denied the application of Apolonia Comia-Soguilon to substitute for Seneres because she had a different last name.
Seneres' slot in presidential race still open-to a Seneres
The feat may help scientists create an inexpensive, disease-free substitute for human blood, say researchers at DNX Corp.
Pigs make human pigment
In the United States, such a tax has in fact been proposed as a substitute for both the existing U.S.
The best of both: where the VAT and tax integration converge
But the end result may be a no-calorie, high-fiber substitute for flour that can reduce by 10 to 20 percent the caloric value of baked goods.
New sugar may help fat, thin alike
Tofu is another preferred substitute for meat, especially in the Asian countries.
Meat Substitutes Market Assessment Covering Growth Factors and Upcoming Trends till 2026 End
In short, LeFevre says, "We do not have materials today that we could substitute for asbestos linings that would allow us to build vehicles that meet the brake standards in place" -- though "we ought to be able to do it within 10 [years]."
EPA moves to phase out asbestos goods