replaces

Replaces is the third-person singular present tense of the verb replace. It denotes the act of taking the place of something else or substituting one thing for another. The sense can range from restoring a previous state to updating something with a newer version. For example, The company replaces the old logo with a newer design, and The mechanic replaces worn parts in the engine.

In usage, replace often implies putting something back in its place or upgrading it with a newer item of the same kind. The word substitute is closely related but can carry a nuance of stand-in rather than restoration. Expressions such as replace X with Y are common, indicating that X is removed and Y is put in its position.

Replaces appears across many domains. In everyday language, people say a product or policy replaces an earlier version. In manufacturing or maintenance, workers replace components that fail or wear out. In computing and text editing, to replace is to substitute one string or element for another, as in a search-and-replace operation. In programming, a replace function or method may alter all occurrences of a target value with a replacement value.

Etymology traces replaces to the prefix re- (again, back) plus place (to put). The sense began with restoring something to its original position and broadened to include substitution. Related forms include replace (infinitive), replaced (past tense), replacement (noun), and replaceable (adjective).