fluctuating

adjective

fluc·​tu·​at·​ing ˈflək-chə-ˌwā-tiŋ How to pronounce fluctuating (audio)
-chü-ˌā-
: changing frequently and uncertainly
a period of fluctuating temperatures/prices
a fluctuating signal

Examples of fluctuating in a Sentence

a fluctuating stock market makes it hard for investors to know what to do our speed was constantly fluctuating, so the figure of 50 miles per hour is just an average
Recent Examples on the Web The same amount of water per unit time can arrive as a smooth, steady rain of many small drops or as a strongly fluctuating shower with fewer but much larger drops. Douglas Natelson, Scientific American, 19 Mar. 2024 Irwin said that the characters’ runaway emotions are mirrored by the wildly fluctuating time signatures. Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 25 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fluctuating.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fluctuating was in 1612

Dictionary Entries Near fluctuating

Cite this Entry

“Fluctuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fluctuating. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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