variety

noun

va·ri·e·ty | \ və-ˈrī-ə-tē

plural varieties

Definition of variety

1 : the quality or state of having different forms or types : multifariousness

2 : a number or collection of different things especially of a particular class : assortment

3a : something differing from others of the same general kind : sort

b : any of various groups of plants or animals ranking below a species : subspecies

4 : variety show

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about variety

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Examples of variety in a Sentence

I was surprised by the variety of the choices that were available. My life needs more variety.

Recent Examples on the Web

People around the world honor the occasion in a variety of ways, and celebration traditions date back to prehistoric times. — Kelly O'sullivan, Country Living, "Winter Solstice 2018: Who Celebrates the First Day of Winter?," 20 Dec. 2018 Wednesday’s report is the FSOC’s latest annual summary of a variety of potential threats facing the U.S. financial system. — Andrew Ackerman, WSJ, "Prolonged Economic Expansion Poses Market Risks, Panel Says," 19 Dec. 2018 Shop Our Favorite Credenzas Check out some of our favorite credenzas in a variety of styles and finishes. — Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, "How to Choose the Perfect Credenza," 19 Dec. 2018 Amazon today announced the launch of a new variety of its cashier-less Go store that’s much smaller than a standard one. — Nick Statt, The Verge, "Amazon just launched a mini version of its cashier-less Go store in Seattle," 12 Dec. 2018 The over-the-top gift is no surprise, as Kylie is quite the car aficionado and often posts photos with her rotating specialty cars in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. — Isabel Greenberg, Harper's BAZAAR, "Kylie Jenner Surprised Kris Jenner with a $250,000 Red Ferrari for Her Birthday," 30 Oct. 2018 Paravan’s sound-absorbing panels come in a variety of shapes and configurations, from semicircles to straight lines. — Liz Stinson, Curbed, "A colorful new take on the cubicle," 22 Oct. 2018 Musk has engaged in a wide variety of un-CEO-like behaviors this year. — Rani Molla, Recode, "Elon Musk’s summer of bad behavior hasn’t affected Tesla’s sales, but it has hurt its reputation," 10 Oct. 2018 But, alas, the Internet exists, and gossip abounds—particularly of the variety that isn't quite true. — Krystin Arneson, Glamour, "Kylie Jenner Just Responded to a Rumor That She and Travis Scott Broke Up," 19 Aug. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'variety.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.