fluctuation
noun
fluc·tu·a·tion
ˌflək-chə-ˈwā-shən 
-chü-ˈā-
plural fluctuations
: an act or instance of fluctuating : an irregular shifting back and forth or up and down in the level, strength, or value of something
Small fluctuations in prices are to be expected.
Some fluctuation in real estate values is not unusual.
North American species in general, having contended with blazing July days and frosty September nights as they evolved, are much more tolerant of temperature fluctuations than tropical species are.—
Jonathan Franzen
Jonathan FranzenExamples of fluctuation in a Sentence
political instability that resulted in wild fluctuations in the overseas stock markets
Recent Examples on the Web
The buzz around JoAnne’s sessions is that Lee is about to be pushed out of the company, which will lead to a series of predictable market fluctuations.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 26 Apr. 2026
Then-Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed a redesign of the main station itself, which ultimately stalled out amid post-pandemic economic fluctuations.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
The researcher acknowledges that much more work is needed to identify the sources of fluctuations in the time-delay signals detected by the device.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026
The drags posed by tariffs and interest expense, as well as the tailwinds from foreign exchange fluctuations, were left unchanged.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fluctuation
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Scott Tobias, Vulture, 26 Apr. 2026
Then-Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed a redesign of the main station itself, which ultimately stalled out amid post-pandemic economic fluctuations.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
The researcher acknowledges that much more work is needed to identify the sources of fluctuations in the time-delay signals detected by the device.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026
The drags posed by tariffs and interest expense, as well as the tailwinds from foreign exchange fluctuations, were left unchanged.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fluctuation
Cite this Entry
“Fluctuation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fluctuation. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
fluctuation
noun
fluc·tu·a·tion
ˌflək-chə-ˈwā-shən
1
: a motion like that of waves
especially
: the wavelike motion of a fluid collected in a natural or artificial cavity of the body observed by palpation or percussion
2
a
: a slight and nonheritable variation
especially
: such a variation occurring in response to environmental factors
b
: recurrent and often more or less cyclic alteration (as of form, size, or color of a bodily part)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
