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.

Examples of volatility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

With every orderly ratchet higher to a record high in the benchmark indexes, affirmed by a breakout in bitcoin as gold sleeps, a steep retreat in market volatility and a collapse in corporate-credit spreads, the investment universe is telling you to relax. —Michael Santoli, CNBC, 12 July 2025

Huang was of course at Nvidia in the beginning, and his enormous wealth exists as evidence of what can happen when early investors or employees stay the proverbial course amid immense share-price volatility. —John Tamny, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025

When global uncertainty and volatility rise, the task gets even more difficult—and more integral to business success. —François Candelon, Fortune, 11 July 2025

Another manufacturing executive said there’s too much volatility in policy to make long-term decisions. —Matt Egan, CNN Money, 11 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for volatility

• affability
• audibility
• bistability
• capability
• changeability
• contractility
• credibility
• culpability
• disability
• disutility
• durability
• fallibility