volatility

noun

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vol·a·til·i·ty | \ ˌvä-lə-ˈti-lə-tē

plural volatilities

Definition of volatility

: 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 People last week searched for volatility and more than found it in the memes. — Jj Kinahan, Forbes, 14 June 2021 While the main consumer price index showed the big jump, two related indexes that adjust for volatility have changed little this year. — Neal St. Anthony, Star Tribune, 12 June 2021 One reason for the volatility is that many investors such as Mr. Tong have used options and warrants to amplify their SPAC wagers. — Amrith Ramkumar, WSJ, 19 May 2021 Being pegged to the price of cryptocurrencies, whose ups and downs resemble the route of a fearsome mountain cycling race, the market for NFT art has a reputation for volatility. — Scott Reyburn, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2021 One risk going forward — especially in the face of diverging recoveries — is the potential for market volatility in response to changing financial conditions. — Kristalina Georgieva For Cnn Business Perspectives, CNN, 7 Mar. 2021 GameStop’s wild ride shocked Wall Street, forcing the market to gird for more volatility. — Alex Veiga, chicagotribune.com, 25 Feb. 2021 GameStop's wild ride shocked Wall Street, forcing the market to gird for more volatility. — Alex Veiga, ajc, 25 Feb. 2021 For all the volatility 2020 brought to our worlds, the emergence of one hashtag in particular seemed to make something good out of something tragic. — Tara Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Jan. 2021

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