volatility

noun

vol·​a·​til·​i·​ty ˌvä-lə-ˈti-lə-tē 

plural volatilities

: the quality or state of being volatile: such as

a

: a tendency to change quickly and unpredictably

price volatility

the volatility of the stock market

b

: a tendency to erupt in violence or anger

the volatility of the region

the volatility of his temper

c

: the quality of being readily vaporizable at a fairly low temperature

As each component of crude oil has a different relative volatility, they will evaporate at different temperatures.

—Martin W. Stockel et al.

Examples of volatility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But the broader takeaway here is that the inherent volatility of oil and gas prices is a persistent vulnerability in the US economy that can only be solved by limiting exposure to these energy sources. — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 15 Oct. 2026

No team on that list were able to sustain their goalscoring efficiency from the opening weeks across an entire campaign, and the volatility of early-season finishing numbers can give a misleading impression of a side’s stability. — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026

The four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, rose by 250 to 198,500. — Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Still, the recent bout of volatility is enough to worry investors who are drawing down a stream of income from their retirement savings. — Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for volatility

• affability
• audibility
• bistability
• capability
• changeability
• contractility
• credibility
• culpability
• disability
• disutility
• durability
• fallibility