various

1 of 2

adjective

var·​i·​ous ˈver-ē-əs 

1

: of an indefinite number greater than one

stop at various towns

2

: individual, separate

rate increases granted in the various states

3

a

: of differing kinds : multifarious

b

: dissimilar in nature or form : unlike

4

: varicolored

birds of various plumage

5

: having a number of different aspects or characteristics

a various place

6

archaic : variable, inconstant

variousness noun

various

2 of 2

pronoun

plural in construction

: an indefinite number of separate individuals greater than one

have read various of her essays

Synonyms

Adjective

• chromatic
• colored
• colorful
• kaleidoscopic
• motley
• multicolored
• multihued
• polychromatic
• polychrome
• prismatic
• rainbow
• varicolored
• varied
• variegated

Choose the Right Synonym for various

different, diverse, divergent, disparate, various mean unlike in kind or character.

different may imply little more than separateness but it may also imply contrast or contrariness.

different foods

diverse implies both distinctness and marked contrast.

such diverse interests as dancing and football

divergent implies movement away from each other and unlikelihood of ultimate meeting or reconciliation.

went on to pursue divergent careers

disparate emphasizes incongruity or incompatibility.

disparate notions of freedom

various stresses the number of sorts or kinds.

tried various methods

Examples of various in a Sentence

Adjective

He has lived in places as various as New York and Beijing.

for their various and bizarrely shaped plumage, males of the bird of paradise species have few rivals

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

There are various risks from AI: deepfakes, algorithmic discrimination, job loss, misinformation. —Caroline Mimbs Nyce, The Atlantic, 21 Aug. 2024

The boss, a man Fofana remembers fondly, and whose picture decorates various walls throughout the site, died during the early days of the pandemic, leaving Fofana’s future with the carbonai a little more uncertain. —Joshua Hughes, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2024

The four-person crew of people from various backgrounds with no prior spaceflight experience spent three days orbiting Earth together in a 13-foot-wide SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. —Jackie Wattles, CNN, 19 Aug. 2024

Accessibility and Sustainability Rooms are in various villas throughout the property, and many are accessible via outdoor gravel and stone paths, which may be difficult for those with mobility issues. —Allison Duncan, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin varius "having contrasting colors, of different kinds, changeable" (of uncertain origin) + Middle English -ous, -os -ous

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 6

Pronoun

1877, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing various

• many and various
• various and sundry

Kids Definition

various

adjective

var·​i·​ous

ˈver-ē-əs,

ˈvar-

1

: of different kinds

2

: different one from another : unlike

animals as various as cat and mouse

3

: having many different characteristics

spring is a various season

4

: made up of an indefinite number greater than one

stopped at various places along the way

variously adverb

variousness noun