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

Nevertheless, for investors desiring less volatility than individual stocks, the Trefis High Quality portfolio offers an alternative – having outperformed the S&P 500 and delivered returns exceeding 91% since its inception. —Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025

In that light, the sudden uptick in volatility is not a surprise. —Jim Edwards, Fortune, 18 June 2025

Engage in some financial repression with respect to maintaining some Treasury market volatility. —Frank Holland, CNBC, 18 June 2025

Critics blamed Argentina’s years of economic volatility on Fernández’s policies, and outrage over successive economic crises and the country’s bloated bureaucracy helped vault radical libertarian President Javier Milei to the presidency in late 2023. —Los Angeles Times, 17 June 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