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.
Martin W. Stockel et al.Examples of volatility in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
It is designed to address the volatility of off-grid renewables, which often causes existing systems to fail.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2026
The crude market has been hit by wild volatility since the United States and Israel began striking Iran at the end of last month, with Tehran retaliating by attacking targets across the oil-rich Gulf and effectively shutting down the Strait of Hormuz.
—Nur Hikmah Md Ali, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026
The fluctuations continued a period of extreme market volatility this week that saw prices reach almost $120 on Monday.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
In practice, day‑to‑day volatility in scope and timing made planning nearly impossible.
—Paul S. Lavoie, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
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Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2026
The crude market has been hit by wild volatility since the United States and Israel began striking Iran at the end of last month, with Tehran retaliating by attacking targets across the oil-rich Gulf and effectively shutting down the Strait of Hormuz.
—Nur Hikmah Md Ali, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026
The fluctuations continued a period of extreme market volatility this week that saw prices reach almost $120 on Monday.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
In practice, day‑to‑day volatility in scope and timing made planning nearly impossible.
—Paul S. Lavoie, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for volatility
Cite this Entry
“Volatility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/volatility. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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